Lineout Calls of the Week – Six Nations Final Showdown

As Super Saturday approaches and with it the final reckonings of this year’s Six Nations, we whip around a tournament that for all intents and purposes is now done and dusted after four rounds with just the formalities to sort out.

It’s highly unlikely that anyone is going to derail the French juggernaut on its way to clinching this year’s title, least of all the brave but wildly inconsistent Scots in Paris. England look to be humming along nicely now and seem to have found as much of what could possibly be described as a groove. Although a trip to face Wales at the Principality Stadium is never a prospect any side should treat with complacency, it’s unlikely that a Welsh side in the throes of transition are going to unseat England as the team with the best points spreadsheet after France. Ireland tipped to go for an unprecedented three back to back Championships need a miracle now to not only win the Championship, but to finish ahead of England in second, as they now have to contend themselves with simply sniffing runaway Championship favourites France’s exhaust fumes. For Ireland to win it or even finish second they need a massive points haul against Italy, and France to trip up in front of 80,000 of their faithful at the Stade de France and Wales to get one over the English in Cardiff. It’s wildly unlikely in the case of the former and a slim hope in the case of the latter.

As for the race to the bottom of the table, whatever happens in Paris as the final game, Scotland should feel relatively secure in fourth place without having to try too hard. If miracle of miracles they beat France and Ireland lose to Italy and they score a bucketload of points at the Stade they could put themselves in with the wildest outside chance of winning the whole thing . Inspirational but sadly unlikely stuff, as their points difference is unlikely to be enough to give them more than a best possible third place finish. Lastly, there’s that toss up for the Wooden Spoon between Italy and Wales. Both sides will be fired up for their final home games, but we just can’t see Ireland dropping the ball that much despite their increasingly waning form, and England losing to a pumped up Wales in front of their adoring fans with a point to prove. That means that Wales emerge winless and Italy with one win, and therefore, the dreaded culinary instrument stays with the Welsh for another year.

So here’s the Lineout’s look at this Six Nations ahead of Super Saturday, in terms of who we think is going to finish where – take from it what you will!

Twickenham was simply a blip on France’s way to lifting the trophy – say no more!

The adage you learn best from your mistakes could not be more true of France, as they head towards lifting the trophy on Saturday evening at the Stade de France!

France have been incredible to watch this Six Nations, even in that error strewn display at Twickenham, which scuppered their plans for a seemingly inevitable Grand Slam. At Twickenham, they were breathtakingly ambitious, but the execution simply didn’t measure up in conditions for which such a bold game plan were simply inappropriate. They learnt their lessons quickly and put them into practice against an Irish side clearly in decline. Now all they face is a Scottish side who will be spirited make no mistake, but much like French sides of old, we are left wondering as to which Scotland side will turn up in Paris on Saturday evening.

France, are destined to become the rugby powerhouse they have been threatening to be since the last World Cup. They would appear to have bought lock, stock, and barrel into South Africa’s power game with a monstrous forward pack, allied to some of the silkiest and quickest backs in the modern game. As a result, the matchup between these two giants in November in Paris will be one of the year’s most eagerly awaited contests. Even France’s B side trip to New Zealand this summer for a three Test series should be causing the All Blacks Coach Scott Robertson some increasingly sleepless nights.

Although France have lost the services of their unique talisman and arguably the best rugby player on the planet, scrum half Antoine Dupont for probably the rest of the season, there is a silver lining in his unfortunate injury in Dublin last weekend. We are not for a moment suggesting that his injury was something to be desired, but what it did highlight is that France are still absolutely lethal even without him on the pitch. There is always a danger that when a team has someone like Dupont the Messi syndrome takes over, as in the case of Argentinian football, and a team’s is game is built around someone like Dupont creating the magic. The minute that linchpin is removed, the whole structure comes apart at the seams. What France demonstrated so clearly last weekend in Dublin is that removing Dupont made no impact whatsoever on their dismantling of what was at least on paper one of the standout teams of the tournament. France’s ability to play as a collective of brilliant rugby minds rather than talented players led by an exceptional conductor was there for all to see. The rest of the world has now been warned as we look towards Australia and 2027.

In short, we can’t see anyone now usurping France’s right to lift the trophy on Saturday evening in Paris, especially not a Scottish side that simply lacks the killer instinct needed for such big games, especially when there really isn’t much left to play for. It’s France’s tournament to lose now, and we just can’t see anyone who can come close to spoiling the party in St. Denis on Saturday night!

England will wish they had started better against an Irish side they could have beat had they started the tournament in the form they are ending it in!

It’s been a tough 18 months since the World Cup for England and their supporters but we have a hunch that courtesy of a handbrake turn in their performances since Dublin, things are finally on an upward trend for the Men in White!

Well, well, look who’s back! England very clearly mean business and by the time their Six Nations campaign draws to a close this Saturday in Cardiff, there is no doubt that they will be billed as the side that has shown the most improvement this tournament. They are still far from being the finished product and won’t be pleased that until their date with Italy, they were not exactly killing it on the pitch. Since coming unstuck against Ireland in Round 1, they continued to be the one point kings, the essential difference being though that unlike last year they were now on the right side of those one point margins, ie the winning side. Make no mistake, that’s a huge turnaround in a team’s performance. Winning doesn’t come easily at this level, but England are finally figuring out how to close out big games, even if until Italy they leave us with no fingernails left in the process.

The ability to hang on and clinch the win is a quality that served them well at the last World Cup. That allied to a killer instinct which they’ve always had but which lacked execution and the decision making needed at times, is starting to finally bring the results needed to make them a genuine contender for the two Six Nations leading up to the next World Cup and the actual global showdown itself.

The only real question left nagging at England is what do they do with a remarkable talent like Marcus Smith? It was easy to perhaps feel that they extraordinary man’s star was rapidly falling in England’s stock as Coach Steve Borthwick has clearly preferred his namesake from Northampton Finn in the number 10 jersey. As a result, Marcus has found himself either occupying the bench for spectacular cameos in the dying moments of games or, more commonly, wearing the number 15 jersey at fullback. He has clearly stated that he prefers to play at number 10, but it would appear that Finn Smith increasingly has first call on the 10 shirt and is a playmaker more in Steve Borthwick’s style.

What is clearly evident is that Borthwick realizes the value and skill set Marcus Smith brings but simply seems at a loss as to where best use them in England’s game plan. It would seem that if the Harlequins star can get his head around playing as England’s last line of defense and playmaker from deep, then his future is assured. It will require him to adapt his game, and it’s also plain to see that at times, that adaptation certainly at Test level is proving problematic. Furthermore, once Northamption fullback George Furbank returns from injury, will Marcus Smith then once again have to compete with his Northampton rival for time on the pitch in the 10 jersey? If England are serious about competing for top honors, then Marcus Smith will need time at fly half to cover for the number one seeded England driver Finn Smith. The real test in the coming months for Marcus Smith will be for him to develop his ability to slot seamlessly between the 10 and 15 jersey as per England’s requirements on the day. Master that and his future is secure.

As for England this Six Nations we have a feeling that a big points haul against Wales this Saturday will see them through to a strong second place finish and plenty to look forward to in terms of spots on Andy Farrell’s Lions Tour to Australia this summer and an exciting November Test schedule.

Ireland need to hit the RESET button after this Six Nations and hit it hard!

Ireland’s glory days are over for now, but hopefully this Six Nations has finally brought home the desperate need for a retooling of the team, both in personnel and how they play the game if they are serious about breaking their World Cup curse in just over two years time!

For Irish supporters now that the potential euphoria of an historic Six Nations three-peat is now not much more than a pipe dream, is there perhaps a sense of relief that dwelling on past glories can now be a thing of the past and the task of rebuilding the team from the ground up for the next World Cup can really begin in earnest? If you ask us, we think there’s a strong grain of truth in that assumption. If Ireland had swept all before them once more this Six Nations, we strongly believe it would have left the team with a false sense of security and an almost inevitable slide to yet another World Cup quarter final exit in Australia in two years time.

Ireland simply have not been that good in our and probably their own honest opinion in the last year. We can’t help feeling that ever since that loss to England in last year’s Six Nations, the shine has started to fade on Ireland’s chariot at a rate of knots. Much was made of getting one over the Springboks in South Africa in their two Test series last year, but we honestly believe, as we have a hunch they do, that had it been a three Test series Ireland would not have emerged the winners. In November, they looked decidedly unconvincing, and this Six Nations, they’ve looked good at times but ultimately not where they need to be.

There simply has not been nearly enough young blood coming through the ranks, leading one to the conclusion that ultimately Ireland’s long-term depth is superficial forcing them to rely on a group of players starting to contemplate the end of their careers, while in a few cases some players have had their inevitable retirement simply postponed. This is not to dismiss these players as irrelevant to Ireland’s cause, but Ireland know that the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, and Cian Healy will not be taking them to the next World Cup. Furthermore it’s debatable whether or not players like Tadgh Furlong, Tadgh Beirne, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Conan, Bundee Aki and James Lowe will still all be at their prime come Australia in two and half years time. That’s half of Ireland’s squad with the other half still relatively unproven at Test level, and let’s not talk about injury cover.

In short, Ireland need to radically retool how they play the game and who they staff the changing rooms with in terms of personnel. Sadly we have a horrible feeling that they’ve left it too late and as a result Ireland could be in for a rough few years between now and the end of the next World Cup, let alone yet another World Cup Quarter-Final exit which may ultimately be too psychologically scarring for Irish rugby to recover from in the long-term.

Half the problem in our view still lies with the fact that selection draws too heavily from one provincial side, Leinster. Look at last weekend’s selection against France. Only 8 non Leinster players made the matchday 23, while against Italy this weekend, only 6 players don’t wear the Leinster blue at provincial level. While there is something to be said for having a player base that knows each other week in week out at club level, we fear it can also breed complacency. Furthermore, there seems to be an almost blind desperation to create Johnny Sexton 2.0, at the detriment of other players who have their own talents and can bring a different legacy to the Irish jersey. We’ve already pointed out, as in the case of France, how valuable it is for a team to be able to play without a genius such as Dupont on the pitch and still produce phenomenal performances.

Ireland sadly still remain in a post Sexton hangover too much of the time, and the desperation to recreate another in his mold has led to the obsession in promoting young Sam Prendergast beyond his current abilities. While all this is happening Ireland are guilty of ignoring the talents of a player like Munster’s Jack Crowley who was progressing very nicely indeed thank you very much even if he didn’t quite show the Gandalf like qualities that Prendergast has displayed at times. One thing Crowley has shown is a calm head under pressure and a defensive skill set that his rival simply can’t match at the moment. For fear of sounding like a broken record, any team that is genuinely serious about lifting the World Cup in two years’ time needs two world-class fly halves. Ireland have one who is almost there in the shape of Crowley, provided he doesn’t get sidelined with no time on the pitch over the next two years and another in the making in the shape of Prendergast. There is also the danger of pushing an up and coming player like Prendergast into the limelight too quickly and irreparably wrecking his confidence and thus his career before it’s even started. In short, the experiments have been made and now Ireland need to find the balance between the two players and how they use them going forward.

We dared to say in the podcast and at the beginning of this tournament that Ireland winning a third consecutive Six Nations would have done them a disservice and ultimately postponed the inevitable in terms of looking to the future instead of relying on past glories. Well, sadly, it’s come as a rude slap in the face to a team who are still formidable but creaking badly at the seams. Whether or not there is still enough time between now and the World Cup to right a listing ship remains to be seen, but we hold that Ireland have had the wake up call they were long overdue and there are still plenty of reasons to be cheerful when pulling on a green jersey provided the much needed lessons of this tournament are heeded.

Oh, Scotland – the side we all cherish but one which brings so much sadness come the end of every Six Nations about what could have been

Scotland could and should have been lifting so much more than just the Doddie Weir Cup this Six Nations, and sadly, it looks destined to stay that way for quite some time despite their talent!

There is not much really to say about Scotland other than once again as the tournament draws to a close we are left with that familiar sinking feeling as yet another Six Nations campaign fizzles out. Sure, there was the relief of putting a vastly improved Welsh side in their place at Murrayfield last weekend and lifting the Doddie Weir Cup, but even that looked in danger of going horribly sideways at one point. Fair enough, they only lost the Calcutta Cup at Twickenham to England by one point. They even made Ireland scramble at times. However, none of it has been overly convincing despite some stellar individual performances at times, but as a team Scotland are once more guilty of lacking the killer instinct to really go deep in this tournament, or in reality any tournament. As a result so much promise ultimately delivers very little for yet another year, and long suffering Scottish fans are left scratching their heads and staring into the suds of their empty pints to try and fathom what might have been and where it all went so horribly wrong.

We’d argue and will continue to do so, that there is enough flair and talent in this Scottish team to equal that of a side like France. The problem is there is neither the concentration span for the full eighty minutes nor the single-minded sense of common purpose and strength that makes a side like France so overpowering. Scotland’s set piece work is still erratic, especially at scrum time, and they rarely dominate the collisions and contact areas week in and week out. While their backs have demonstrated some truly God-given talent, none of it is consistent in its execution. Scotland invariably get three quarters of a game plan right but miss that final set of ingredients to blend it all together for the full eighty minutes, and if in the unlikely event they do, it’s highly unlikely they’ll be able to repeat the process a week later.

After dominating Wales last week for the first hour, they simply decided to go to sleep in the final quarter and found themselves suddenly having to defend a rapidly diminishing lead. Such lapses of concentration or dedication to purpose are simply inexcusable at this level. Look at Glasgow in the Champions Cup and the URC there is focus and intensity by the bucket load which saw them travel to South Africa last year and clinch the URC title at one of the hardest grounds to play rugby, the sacred turf of the Bulls home ground of Loftus Verfeld. Scotland may not have the player depth of other nations but are not short on talent by any means and should be punching way above their weight as they often do on the International stage.

Nevertheless looking at the fate of Scotland’s U20s in this year’s junior Six Nations Championship, it would appear that they like Ireland are lacking the players coming through the ranks that will be needed to maintain their promise in the long run, although Ireland has fared much more positively in the World U20s in recent years.

In short, this is a great team on paper and at times on the pitch, but one whose future continues to remain blurry. If they can translate some of their club form into success on the International stage then surely Scotland can give their fans something to cheer about in the long term, but there are still no givens just yet and more question marks than answers.

Italy cut down to size once more, but the promise still beckons

Italy have been their usual frustrating selves this Six Nations, but we’d argue that there is still plenty of scope for optimism as the Azurri look towards Australia and the next World Cup

We hear you saying but yes Italy always looks promising but never really deliver on it, and agreed it looks like once again the best they can hope for is a lowly fifth place and that’s only because Wales have once again been so poor. Still for another year running, it looks like they won’t be brandishing the Wooden Spoon, and the last two games aside against England and Ireland, they have played some very entertaining rugby. We’d even go so far as to say there is even the outside chance that brimming with passion and pride, they might even be able to pull one over against an increasingly misfiring Ireland this Saturday in Rome. However, that does appear to be a bit of a stretch of the imagination, even if it would be the shot in the arm that both sides desperately need at the moment.

We still argue that Italy have shown an improvement since last year. They have scored some exquisite tries, have shown patience in their execution and their discipline, which has traditionally been their Achilles Heel, has been dramatically improved this year. However, none of it adds up to Italy ultimately challenging the big boys as their set piece work still remains weak and defensively they remain a conundrum. They’ve made more tackles than any other team, but then they’ve had to as their tackles are tending not to stick as they’ve also missed more tackles than any other team.

Nevertheless, some of their attacking rugby has been outstanding, and in Tommaso Menoncello and Ignacio Brex, they have one of the best center pairings in not only the Six Nations but we’d argue Test Rugby as a whole. Whether he is played on the wing or at fullback, Ange Capuozzo is one of the best attacking players in the game and has some of the fastest thinking and most elusive feet in the sport. Their forward pack is respectable, and their halfback partnerships are convincing and at times innovative. Their final clash of the tournament against Ireland in Rome this Saturday should be heady stuff, despite the odds being against them on paper. However, it’s the Stadio Olimpico and provided they don’t let emotions get the better of them, the Azurri will be desperate to claim a big scalp this tournament in front of their delirious and adoring fans. Of the tournament’s big three, Ireland, given their recent troubles, are perhaps the biggest shot at an upset Italy have.

It’s unlikely that Italy will finish higher than fifth this year despite some accomplished rugby on display at times. Still, there is plenty to build on for this young squad ahead of a challenging trip to South Africa in the summer. In Quesada, they have an accomplished Coach who understands the complex mental and emotional dynamics of this team and is more than likely at some point going to turn it into a structure that produces results. In short, from Saturday onwards, no matter where Italy finish – watch this space!

Wales’ seemingly inevitable march towards their second consecutive Six Nations Wooden Spoon, belies the fact that there is the nucleus of a young team here that could restore the Red Jersey to its former greatness in years to come

Wales had a tough start to their 2025 Six Nations, but it’s hard to argue that there are more than just a few glimmers of hope at the end of it of where Wales could be with the right setup come the next World Cup in Australia in 2027!

We’ve really liked what we’ve seen in Coach Matt Sheratt’s new look Wales in Rounds 3 and 4. They rattled Ireland in no small measure and put Scotland under the pump in the final quarter at Murrayfield. In short there is a LOT now to like about Wales and much like Italy their fellow cohorts at the bottom of the Six Nations table, this is a very young squad with plenty of potential ahead of them. While the Wooden Spoon looks set to reside with them for another year, we can’t help feeling that in the process, they have turned a corner.

In Jac Morgan they have a Captain who will serve them well in Australia in 2027 and beyond, and who is more than likely destined for a trip to the Land Down Under as preparation with the Lions this summer, as the talismanic back rower makes the Duracell bunny look like an amateur, such is his stamina and seemingly tireless work rate for the full eighty minutes. Teddy Williams already looks to the manor born in the second row, while Ben Thomas seemed much happier in the center channels than he did making decisions at fly half. Blair Murray caused all kinds of havoc from deep against Scotland, and had he not jumped a tackle the result at Murrayfield would have been even closer, and Ellis Mee on the wing looks to be a prodigy in waiting.

This is a proud team who actually look like they’re enjoying playing rugby again in the fabled red shirt. It’s early days, but we feel they will do the faithful proud at the Principality this Saturday, even though England are likely to overpower them for much of the match. If they can just figure out who takes the reins from temporary Coach Matt Sherratt after Saturday’s final whistle, and his replacement can build on the promise shown in these final three rounds, Welsh fans should finally get a chance to start smiling once more and actually look forward to a challenging Autumn Nations campaign.

The Lineout’s final Six Nations Standings after Super Saturday

  1. France (no brainer really unless Scotland produce a miracle)
  2. England (have quickened their pace throughout the campaign to the point where they’re clearly ahead of Ireland in both cohesion and execution)
  3. Ireland (their season is fading fast, and despite a probable win over Italy, it won’t paper over the obvious shortcomings)
  4. Scotland (barring a miracle at the Stade de France, the stutter is likely to continue despite the talent)
  5. Italy (still hoping for the upset of the tournament at the Stadio Olimpico despite our loyalties to the Men in Green, as a dream come true for the hosts and a kick up the proverbial to get on with the rebuilding/restructuring that Ireland so desperately need)
  6. Wales (Is there one last twist in the tail left at the Principality as the game that matters most to the Welsh against England shows the promise of Wales next gen in the making in front of the Cymru faithful?)

Lineout Calls of the Week – Six Nations Mid-Term Report

It’s been a fascinating opening two rounds of this year’s Six Nations, and already it’s proving to be as competitive as we thought it would. There are no nailed on certainties just yet, although Ireland do look to have taken early control of proceedings with only one genuinely challenging match left in their calendar against France, unless Italy continue to go from strength to strength and cause the upset of the tournament on Super Saturday in Rome.

There’s been plenty of drama, with Wales’ ongoing misery resulting in the seemingly inevitable departure of Head Coach Warren Gatland after their first two games. France, suddenly displaying a complete inability to hang on to a rugby ball at Twickenham, has blown the Championship wide open. Meanwhile, England, with their hardest opponents now out of the way, can realistically envisage a strong finish to their tournament and even the silverware if France and Italy can do them some favors. As we head into Calcutta Cup weekend, is Scotland’s initial promise about to disappear into the ether by Round 3 as it has a nasty habit of doing in recent years, or is a record 5th straight Cup win on the cards for the Scots as a consolation prize for a campaign that looks to inevitably run out of gas by Super Saturday and their date with France in Paris?

So much to ponder and so much to look forward to in a tournament that rarely disappoints. So here’s our mid-term look at this year’s Six Nations

In it to win it? Ireland look the dominant force so far, as they take the first tentative steps towards building a next gen squad.

Ireland’s win over Scotland was convincing and it was refreshing to see some of their younger players start to play more of a hand in proceedings, but sloppiness against England in their opening win rang the alarm bells for many.

You’d think that after Ireland’s first two performances, we’d be convinced that they look to be in the driver’s seat so far this tournament. As the French would say “en principe,” but with said saying comes a tinge of doubt. Ireland are getting the job done after two rounds and two wins, make no mistake, but they are not dominating any of the statistics. The only real area that they are head and shoulders above the opposition is in lineout steals and lineout takes, excuse the pun. Their kicking game has been decent but not spectacular, and they are not exactly carving up huge chunks of the pitch in comparison to countries like France, Scotland, or even England when it comes to line breaks.

What is perhaps most concerning is the fact that they lead the tournament so far in the missed tackle count, traditionally a bread and butter staple for the Men in Green. In short, Ireland’s stalwart defence is looking a bit porous so far at times this Six Nations, and we can’t figure out if it’s down to blatant lapses of concentration as in the opening game against England, or the fact that the likes of Scotland’s Duhan van der Merwe and Ben White were able to find holes in it especially at the close of each half. Against a side like France and the likes of try scoring machines Damian Penaud, Antoine Dupont, and Louis Bielle-Biarrey despite their butter fingers at Twickenham, such lapses even with home advantage in Dublin could prove lethal.

Ireland should be fuming over the fact that after dominating England for much of the game in Round 1, they allowed the English back into the match and to finish by going home with a losing bonus point. With England having a potentially soft finish to their tournament should things go well for them against the Scots this weekend, that points difference could become crucial come Super Saturday at the end of the tournament. Especially if Ireland come unstuck against France in Round 4.

Nevertheless, enough of the doubt and more of the positives. It’s always hard to judge any of the teams on their opening performance, and therefore, we’ll give Ireland the benefit of the doubt regarding England. To be fair, for the most part, it was a pretty dominant display against the Scots and on the road to boot at Murrayfield. However, one also can’t deny that the loss of two of Scotland’s biggest threats, fly half Finn Russell and winger Darcy Graham for much of the match, definitely made things easier for Ireland.

The fly half debate continues to rage, though all the promise of youngster Sam Prendergast came to the fore against Scotland after a shaky start against England. We still remain in the Jack Crowley camp for the moment, though, and feel the Munsterman has a slightly more composed and measured approach to big games, given he has a bit more experience under his belt. Secondly, if Ireland are serious about getting past a World Cup quarter final, then having two World Class 10s will be essential. Develop Prendergast and even fast track the young lad, as he is already showing a skill set that would make his predecessor Johnny Sexton proud, but not at the expense of Crowley who is solid and dependable under pressure and has proven his worth.

As regular readers of this blog know, we also think the team desperately needs some provincial diversity in its ranks, rather than simply just being the Leinster A team. Hence, our delight in seeing young Calvin Nash from Munster also play such a prominent part in proceedings at Murrayfield, along with fellow Thomond Park stalwarts Tadgh Beirne and veteran warhorse Peter O’Mahony. We still think that looking ahead, a strong finish in this tournament even if it came without silverware but developed the young talent waiting in the wings and who will be needed for Australia in 2027, would be preferable to a Grand Slam won by the veterans. A little short-term humility, but invaluable experience gained would and should be more important for Ireland right now at this stage in their World Cup cycle. However, we’re not running the show, and the thought of being crowned Six Nations champions three years in a row would be hard to look away from for any management group.

So on that note let’s hope, for what should be arguably their softest match of the tournament, a road trip to a hapless Wales this weekend, that we see a golden opportunity seized for the youngsters in Ireland’s future plans to lay down a marker. With that done, bring in the big guns once more for ”le Craic” which is no doubt what France vs Ireland is soon likely to be referred to alongside England and France’s “le Crunch”. Finish it all off with a solid mix of some youth and experience for the Super Saturday road trip to Rome and those increasingly wily and dangerous Italians. If Ireland can secure as many points as possible and avoid a potentially embarassing last hurdle stumble in the Eternal City which is likely to be rocking at that point if Italy have more than one Six Nations win in the bag, then Ireland should be able to reflect on five weekends of outstanding work and resulting success.

If Ireland’s final three rounds achieve at least some if not all of the above objectives then we think it’s safe to say that talk of Ireland being crowned Six Nations Champions for a third year in a row, can be made without a Gallic shrug and a bit of French ‘”en principe”.

France’s undoing at Twickenham has shown that the pre-tournament favorites and Antoine Dupont are actually human after all!

France’s uncharacteristically error strewn performance at Twickenham two weeks ago, has blown the tournament wide open but this is still probably the most dangerous side in the competition, provided the ball hasn’t been soaked in olive oil as appeared to be the case against England.

Can France still win the whole thing you ask after their Twickenham fumblefest? Absolutely! Sure there’s that annoying trip to Rome and those pesky Italians who have a habit of making France have to work twice as hard as they think they should on paper. Oh and let’s not forget that rather daunting trip to Fortress Aviva for “le Craic”. Can a desperate and potentially wounded Scotland also throw caution to the wind on Super Saturday at the Stade de France and put on a Braveheart display for the ages and against all odds?

So yes it’s not going to be easy but, let’s not forget that France, despite seeming to lather their entire team in Vaseline as a water repellent at Twickenham regardless of the complications that posed for their handling skills, possess some talent that on most Saturdays still appears to be from another planet. What is concerning is that France often comes unstuck on the road, especially if they have been rattled. There is no denying that the Twickenham horror show shook and unsettled the nerves. Put all that aside, though, and rewatch the highlights. The ambition in that game by France at times was breathtaking, the problem was it simply didn’t suit the conditions. We very much doubt they will make the same mistakes again.

However, there is also no denying that the once seemingly impregnable French defenses, so ably engineered by defense Coach Shaun Edwards, do seem to be creaking at the moment. Furthermore, the legendary English tactician has not been seen in as much evidence in the Coaching box of late as in previous years. Could this be a part of the problem? Admittedly the injuries affecting France particularly in their forward pack haven’t helped, and the loss of Romain Ntamack due to his sloppy red card against Wales, have meant the Toulouse axis of himself and Dupont was clearly lacking against England. We just don’t think that Mathieu Jallibert, gifted as he is as well as being in sync with his two Bordeaux danger men Damien Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey, clicks with Dupont and French management the way they need to.

If they don’t use Jallibert, then we’d argue using Ramos at 10 despite his almost radar like boot, is a risk and takes away a degree of solidarity and security for France in the back line. Using Dupont disrupts France’s rhythmn even more, as evidenced against England. So, in short, until they get Ntamack back for the big one against Ireland, it’s probably safer to stay with Jallibert. If Jallibert has a blinder against Italy, then Coach Fabien Galthie who is suddenly the Man in the Hot Seat after Twickenham, is faced with a genuine dilemma for what will be France’s most important game of the tournament and a potential Championship decider.

However, we’d argue that despite all this talk of the Championship decider in Dublin for “le Craic,” there is the pressing problem of Italy to deal with first this weekend. France’s encounters with Italy over the last two years have been decidedly uncomfortable. They struggled to get past a determined Italy in 2023 with a narrow 29-24 win, and last year in Lille it was a draw which but for an errant kicking tee with the clock in the red would have seen Italy clinch an historic win, something they managed to do in 2011 and 2013. The scores have often been close, and for some reason, best known to themselves, France rarely play well against Italy. It will be fascinating to see if they can overcome their Azzurri bogey this weekend.

It’s likely to be a dry track in Rome this Sunday for two teams who simply LOVE to run the ball. The difference this time around is that Italy are no longer the wild, impatient men of Six Nations rugby. They are measured and cautious with a capable forward pack, a bruising highly dynamic center pairing coupled to some electric backs, something France will have to contend with in equal measure. While most eyes are on Dublin regarding France next month, we’d argue the dustup in Rome has suddenly become France’s biggest game, and all talk of Dublin is irrelevant in terms of France’s focus till the job is done at the Stadio Olimpico.

England finally master the art of being on the right side of the scoreline in one point games!

England’s one point win against France was a massive and much needed shot of confidence for a side that has ALL the potential but very little to show for it in terms of results since the last World Cup. Have England finally turned a corner, and can they go all the way and challenge France and Ireland for the silverware?

Well, it’s been a long time coming, but you felt it was never far off. This is a good English team with plenty of potential. They simply needed to figure out how to fit all the talented pieces together. Something they finally managed to figure out at Twickenham against France. Admittedly, the atrocious weather helped to ensure that France’s legendary handling skills were made a mockery of, but by comparison, England looked comfortable in the wet and were able to make their passes stick.

It was a 50/50 game in terms of the statistics for the full 80 minutes, but England were far better judges of when to try the audacious and when it simply wasn’t on. Furthermore, they appeared to finally figure out the Smith squared equation. Essentially, when you have two playmakers as gifted as Northampton’s Finn Smith and Harlequins’ Marcus Smith, is it even possible to play the two of them on the pitch at the same time? Well, if events at Twickenham are anything to go by, yes, you can. We had the concern that Marcus Smith’s exceptional talents would be wasted at fullback even though it’s a position he is familiar with, despite him preferring the 10 jersey. What we noticed is that exactly the opposite happened, and if anything with the more traditional fly half skills of Finn Smith, Marcus’ talents were accentuated when wearing the 15 jersey.

How so we hear you ask? Watch the replay/highlights of the game, and we think you’ll see where we’re going with this. At 10, Marcus Smith attacks close to the line and builds up such a head of steam with his vision for space, that the rest of his teammates often fail to keep up with him leaving him isolated. At fullback, he has more time to create the type of space he does from deeper, giving the rest of his team time to fill in behind him and give him the support he needs. Finn Smith then becomes the central figure, allowing another set of moves to be orchestrated and get Marcus Smith back into the run of play and supported once more. It seemed to work exceptionally well against France and keep them guessing, as well as having to commit valuable defensive resources to two essential playmakers.

France made considerably more metres than England but were only half as effective with them not helped by some truly horrendous handling skills. There is no denying that England played a much more structured game and managed their opportunities more cohesively. It was a team performance as opposed to France’s, which looked more often than not like a collection of exceptionally talented loose canons.

England’s forward pack were immense and that back row led by the utterly fearless Tom Curry, who seems to have absolutely zero regard for his own personal welfare, and the relentless Ben Earl were a sight to behold at Twickenham. In short, it was an outstanding team peformance and one that if England can replicate it over the next three weekends against progressively easier opponents (at least on paper) then depending on how France and Ireland fare, they suddenly could find themselves in contention to lift the silverware on March 15th in Cardiff.

However, they first have to deny the Scots their fifth successive Calcutta Cup at Twickenham this Saturday. With Scotland’s danger men likely to be back in action, Finn Russell and Darcy Graham, and the motivation of getting yet another one over the “auld enemy” this could be the setback to England’s newfound and well justified sense of optimism. We have a hunch that England have finally found the recipe for success, and Scotland’s 4 year guardianship of the Calcutta Cup will come to a screeching halt this weekend. However, it’s only a hunch as the world’s oldest Test fixture and one steeped in history and emotion simply has no certainties associated with it. So, like everyone else this year, for England, it simply has to be one game at a time.

Is this weekend’s Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham the start or finish of Scotland’s Six Nations aspirations?

With a talent pool that simply doesn’t boast the depth of other teams, the injury gods are already threatening to take the wind out of the sails of yet another Scottish Six Nations campaign that looked to promise so much but ultimately is in danger of fizzling out by the halfway mark.

We hate to say it, we really do, but yes, we’re getting the same old sinking feeling we always get with Scotland every Six Nations as we head into the final three Rounds. Believe us, we would love to see the Men from Murrayfield hoist the trophy and genuinely believe they have the werewithal to do it. However, just like every year, the stars just don’t seem aligned in Scotland’s favor. The injury gods as always single Scotland out for special attention and that old bugbear of a lack of consistency week in week out coupled to missing a killer instinct for the full five rounds, leaves the Scots inevitably falling short of the mark, despite so much promise.

In their opener against Italy, they were decidedly sloppy at times and star fly half Finn Russell did not have his best game appearing almost careless on occasion. They simply kept letting Italy get back in the game and get their tails up. There were moments of absolute brilliance, and despite their lapses of concentration at times it was overall a dominant performance. However, much like Ireland’s opener against England, at times despite the scoreline, it didn’t feel overly convincing and certainly not up to the hype surrounding the build-up to their Six Nations campaign.

There is no denying that the loss of Captain and all star center Sione Tuipolutu, currently one of the best in Europe, was a bitter blow to their chances. Furthermore, Round 2 saw knocks to winger Darcy Graham and Finn Russell after only the first quarter, which saw them sit out the rest of the match with Graham off to the hospital. Fortunately it would appear that the all star duo will be back for the crucial Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham, but whether or not they will be able to last the full eighty minutes of what should be a punishing Test match remains to be seen. While Scotland has some notable replacements, most are lacking game time at this level, and for such a crucial game as the Calcutta Cup, it is a big step up.

Despite some of these setbacks and a bit of a lack of fizzle heading into the game with England, Scotland and their supporters can take heart in how they have stood up for the most part in the first two rounds. They’ve made more metres than any other team, have the most offloads and carries, have the second most efficient lineout after Ireland and the highest tackle percentage rate coupled with the least amount of missed tackles. However, in the breakdown and scrum battles, they are coming off very poorly, an area which England is dominating, and they will be keen to target on Saturday at Twickenham.

Scotland, even without the likes of Tuipolutu, Russell and Graham have some exceptionally dangerous players. Winger Duhan van der Merwe seems to revel in rubbing England’s face in the dirt out wide, Blair Kinghorn has brought his incredible skill set with him from Toulouse and Huw Jones is second in tries scored in the tournament to France’s outstanding Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Rory Darge is an absolute menace in the loose and has a handy eye for space and the ball handling skills and pace to use them.

In short, there is a lot to like about this Scotland team, and there is at least one massive performance left in them this Six Nations, either at Twickenham this weekend or Paris, come the final weekend. At least we’d like to think so. If the stretcher bearers can just leave them alone for the next month, and they memorise and repeat aloud the definition of consistency every morning when they wake up between now and March 15th, there will still be plenty of fight and entertainment left in this noble band of Celtic warriors.

Meanwhile in Rome…..the party continues!!!!!!!!!

We think it’s safe to say that Italy are having the time of their life right now, and although they now face their three toughest opponents in the race to the Six Nations finish line, two of them will be hosted at an increasing formidable Stadio Olimpico in Rome. It still may be David versus Goliath, but Italy are definitely no pushover, especially at home.

We are having even more fun watching Italy in this Six Nations than we normally do. While many tend to see Italy simply as a points haul opportunity, we increasingly do not, and regard every one of Italy’s games now as one where a monumental upset lurks. In short, take the Azurri lightly at your peril these days. This is definitely a team on the up under the astute guidance of their Argentinian Head Coach Gonzalo Quesada. Quesada is clearly the first Coach to really get what makes Italian rugby work and how they can use it to their advantage. He seems to have taught them patience and a sense of composure at long last. Remember, how in days gone by Italy would just go full throttle chucking miracle passes around, losing their discipline and generally just trying to play too much rugby. It was all tremendously entertaining, but it lacked rhythm and structure and tripped them up time after time.

This past year, Italy have for want of a better word finally matured as a Test Rugby nation. The precision is there allied to their almost overpowering commitment to the jersey. They are finally working as a well drilled team playing for each other and understanding their respective roles and responsibilities as opposed to a spirited collection of passionate and skilled loose canons.

Their applied mindset has made them stand out in the statistics so far. Fullback Tommasso Allan is the tournament’s leading points scorer after two rounds. Lineout fan favorite Federico Ruzza leads the tournament in lineout takes, while back rower and Azzurri gladiator Sebastian Negri has the second highest tackle count after Ireland’s Josh van der Flier. Their scrum still continues to creak however, despite the fact that their front row forwards have been a genuine menace in broken play and Hooker Giacomo Nicotera excels at finding his targets when it comes to throwing lineout darts. Despite a lack of success at scrum time, Italy have shown genuine prowess at the breakdown, especially through the Cannone brothers, and the rest of their set piece work is solid and fairly reliable.

They now face their sternest Tests in the last three Rounds. France pay them a visit in Rome this Sunday, but based on recent contests between the two in the past, we very much doubt Italy is in awe of their Gallic visitors and are certainly more than capable of giving them the fright of their lives, especially when egged on by a delirious Stadio Olimpico. This, along with the Calcutta Cup, is likely to be one of the two best games of the weekend. After that, it’s a challenging trip to Twickenham, especially if England makes it two from two by getting a convincing win over the Scots. Finally it’s back to the Stadio Olimpico for one final hurrah against an Irish side potentially chasing either a Grand Slam or a massive points haul to clinch them a third consecutive title – a tough ask for the Italians even with home advantage. Just imagine the headlines, though, if they not only pull off a win against France but top it off with an unthinkable win against the defending Champions on the final Saturday and a possible third place finish. The papers would be literally burning off the presses!

Still, let’s bring ourselves back down to reality and the one thing we do know for sure. This will probably be one of Italy’s best Six Nations ever, and it is very unlikely that all they will have to show for their efforts is the Wooden Spoon. In all probability, though, the best possible outcome will be a fourth place finish, but it’s still onwards and upwards, and we can’t wait to watch them rise to the challenge!

And in Wales, how the mighty have fallen as the memory of Gatland and his Grand Slam glory days have now been consigned to history as a once proud nation becomes a mere shadow of its once legendary self!!!

Coach Warren Gatland is gone after the first two rounds of Wales’ Six Nations campaign, but it’s still going to be a long and painful year for the Men in Red.

We have found Wales’ journey into obscurity this past year agonisingly painful to watch. There are some genuinely committed and skilled players in this team who are desperately proud of the privilege of wearing the famous red jersey, perhaps none more so than inspirational and outstanding Captain Jac Morgan. Morgan puts in a 110% performance every game, no matter what the scoreboard says. You simply can’t fault the young man for just not giving up in what seems a desperately lost cause. Wales simply lack structure and purpose and dare we say it passion as a unit. There are some noble individual performances, but none of them seem welded together into any kind of cohesive shape. In short, Wales look like they only have the vaguest idea of what they are supposed to be doing as a team.

It was inevitable that as a result, the axe would fall on long-time Coach Warren Gatland’s head. The New Zealander who brought Wales so much success from 2008 to 2019 has fallen from dizzying heights. Welsh rugby as an entity from the national side to the club game is in tatters and is an appalling litany of incompetence and mismanagement. It was inevitable that on Gatland’s return to Wales since leaving after the 2019 World Cup that he would fall prey to being an easy target. There were few who could argue that he looked like he was actually enjoying his job since taking over again in 2022, and there didn’t really seem to be any conviction in his press conferences about Wales’ prospects. We’re great believers in once you’ve left somewhere on a high, it’s always a mistake to go back, and that definitely appeared to be the case with Gatland.

However, all that aside with or without Gatland, the crisis that Wales and Welsh rugby finds itself in is going take a lot more to fix than just the personnel in the Coaching Box. New interim Coach, Cardiff Blues headman Matt Sherratt may be able to put some torniquets on the national side to stop the short term hemorrhaging and possibly pick up an unlikely win against either Ireland, Scotland or England in the process, but it’s not a bet we fancy putting any money on.

Sadly, there is not much to say that’s overly positive about Wales and their prospects this Six Nations. The Wooden Spoon looks more than likely to rest with them again this year, despite the best efforts of the likes of Jac Morgan, Will Rowlands, Aaron Wainwright, Dan Edwards, and Tom Rogers. The latter pair of youngsters look exceptionally promising for the future, but lacking the Coaching direction they need they’re still just too green at this level, while some of the veterans look dare we say it slightly tired and jaded.

We hope there’s a win in there somewhere for this desperately proud and deserving rugby nation but can’t help get the feeling that 2025 is likely to be another year to forget for a brave but troubled Wales.

The Lineout’s Wild Card End of Tournament Standings

So two rounds in and we all pooled our pints and came up with how we think at this stage the standings will finish come March 15th. Take from it what you will and enjoy what promises to be a fascinating few weeks.

  1. Ireland (but no Grand Slam)
  2. France (if they beat Ireland and don’t have a wobble against Italy then they could still win it)
  3. England (but on last week’s form could well end up second)
  4. Italy (our wild card draw based on the outside chance of a big scalp somewhere between now and March 15th and a healthy points balance and Scotland succumbing to injuries and a lack of consistency when they need it most)
  5. Scotland (injuries and a lack of consistency look set to trip them up this year, but if Italy fail to deliver our wild card then fourth and if they win the Calcutta Cup this weekend maybe even third)
  6. Wales (just can’t see a miracle sadly)

Have fun and enjoy the last three rounds!

Lineout Calls of the Week – The Year Ahead – Part 3 – Scotland and Wales

With the Six Nations JUST around the corner, we start 2025 with a look at Scotland and Wales and what lies in store for them this year.

Scotland the brave desperately need to turn that marvelous quality into results at long last, and this is perhaps the year they have the best chance of doing it. Scotland are one of our FAVORITE sides to watch year in year out, and we never label them with the tag underdogs like we do a side such as Italy. On any given Saturday (or Sunday), Scotland can beat anyone and often do – the problem is they just don’t do it with any level of consistency. Brilliant one day but a disaster the next is perhaps what best sums up back to back Scotland performances. Add to that the fact that the injury gods invariably single out Scotland for special treatment throughout the year, coupled to a limited depth pool and sadly it all too often unravels for Scotland before the party has even begun. Despite fielding the oldest squad in the Six Nations this year at an average age of 29, there is a plethora of world-class talent in amongst their ranks. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever, if Scotland can weather any injury crises that unfold as the tournament progresses and develop some consistency why they couldn’t win the Six Nations this year, as well as any of the big Tests, as yet to be determined that they will face this Autumn.

Meanwhile, across the Severn in Wales, it has been a decidedly gloomy couple of years for Welsh fans. Gross mismanagement of the sport in the Principality has led to talented players either giving up on rugby or seeking their fortunes elsewhere. Warren Gatland has once more returned to the land that gave him so much success as a Coach and has taken up the mantle of trying to sort out the national side for a record 15th year and is the longest serving Coach of any national side, having been in charge of Wales on and off since 2007.  Wales have not won a Test match since the 2023 World Cup and last year was probably the greatest low point in this proud’s nations legendary rugby history as they lost all eleven of their games last year which is literally unheard of. They may be down as they start 2025, but definitely not out, and although another very tough year is in prospect, we think it can only get better from here on in, albeit painfully slowly.

The Six Nations perennial dark horses look set once again to cause some genuine havoc, but is this the year they turn it into BIG silverware?

Scotland are no stranger to silverware in the Six Nations as the Calcutta Cup has sat safely locked away in Edinburgh for the last four years. However, with phenomenal talents like Darcy Graham out wide and Matt Fagerson in the forwards is this finally the year to go all the way in the Six Nations and beyond and is Coach Gregor Townsend still the man to take them there?

Firstly, let’s clear the record here. Nothing we say about Scotland should indicate to anyone that we think they are a poor side. Quite the opposite is true. We actually regard them as one of our favorite teams and one brimming with world class quality and talent. Our criticisms, if they are perceived as such, stem more from a sense of frustration that a team which on paper looks so good and often takes our breath away on the pitch is often left clutching the scraps at the end of any tournament.

Look at 2024 as a case in point. Scotland could have won that tournament but sadly didn’t. They impressed against Wales, but after storming to an impressive 27-0 lead at half time somehow decided to let the Welsh back into the game in the second half and allow them to score 26 unanswered points, leaving Scotland with a distintcly uncomfortable 1 point win. They seemed to learn little from that match as they headed back to Murrayfield the next week, and proceeded to keep France under pressure and themselves ahead on the scoreboard until the final ten minutes where they appeared to simply switch off, allowing the French to take the win. They redeemed themselves by retaining the Calcutta Cup a fortnight later in a masterclass against England, but then travelled to Rome and failed to crack Italy’s resolve as the Azurri doggedly held on to their 2 point winning margin despite Scotland throwing the everything including the kitchen sink at them for the final ten minutes. Last but not least, they traveled to Ireland and simply did too little too late despite a brilliant final twenty minutes. As a result, we were left scratching our heads that after some incredible displays of rugby at times, Scotland found themselves a lowly fourth on the Six Nations log.

They headed to the Americas in the summer with a young and energetic development squad who essentially annihilated all four of their opponents, Canada, USA, Chile, and Uruguay. The Autumn saw a handsome win over Fiji, a titanic but ultimately losing struggle with South Africa, and perhaps their best game of the year – a thrilling display against Australia resulting in a much deserved win over a dramatically improved Wallaby side.

Scotland’s first concern this year is on the eve of the Six Nations, the fact that they have lost their Captain Sione Tuipolotu for the entire campaign. The Glasgow centre has been arguably one of the best players in Europe this season. On the plus side, there are a few players already stepping up to take his place, and while lacking experience are definitely not short on skill. The fact that two of them also hail from Glasgow Warriors, Stafford McDowall and Tom Jordan, along with Northampton’s outstanding Rory Hutchinson whose passing is some of the best in the English Premiership this season, should give Scottish fans some comfort.

Fly half Finn Russell is now a household name in International rugby and considered one of the most gifted players in the modern game, and on a good day can give the likes of France’s Antoine Dupont and Emile Ntamack a run for their money. Not quite as reckless as he has been in the past, the player likened by many to a mischievous Elven Lord, definitely has magic in his boots and an ability to seize and create opporunities out of thin air. Scotland may not be as proficient in the set pieces as they would like to be but are still no slackers, and their backs are some of the finest in the modern game. For us Scottish number 8 Matt Fagerson is a joy to watch, an athletic and powerful carrier in the loose but also outstanding in the contact areas, Fagerson brings an edge to Scotland’s efforts both in attack and on defence, ably assisted by the live wires of Rory Darge and Jamie Ritchie, provided the latter can keep his discipline and temper in check.

As mentioned before though it’s that truly astonishing set of backs that keeps us glued to our TV screens. Winger Darcy Graham has been plagued with injury since last year, but when on song the dimunitive winger’s speed and agility has to be seen to be believed. With big bruising South African import Duhan van der Merwe on the opposite wing Scotland has more pace out wide than most teams would know what to do with. Tuipolotu’s centre partner at Glasgow Huw Jones has been lighting up European pitches all season this year, while utility back Blair Kinghorn has blossomed into the world class player we all knew he was destined to become since he has started plying his trade week in week out with the likes of Antoine Dupont, Emile Ntamack and Thomas Ramos at Toulouse.

Many of Scotland’s squad will be putting their hands up for Lions duty this summer in Australia with Andy Farrell, and there is little doubt that his touring party is likely to have a very Celtic feel to it. Scotland’s Autumn fixtures have yet to be announced, but New Zealand is likely to feature in their plans.

Can Scotland ultimately win this year’s Six Nations? How long is a piece of string, we hear  you ask? As far as we’re concerned, we think they can without any shadow of a doubt, especially if there are no more injuries and they don’t decide to switch off at key moments. However, the reality is that injuries and Scotland’s ulitimate lack of a killer instinct and the focus needed to go with it are likely to trip them up at key moments once again this year. A strong third or even second is definitely on the cards but unless they go storming into their final game against France in Paris with three commanding wins under their belt we can’t see it happening, but sincerely hope we will get proved wrong.

Perhaps Scotland’s biggest challenge this year will be that Calcutta Cup match at Twickenham in the middle of the Six Nations. If they were to win that and hang on to the cherished piece of silverware and with it International Rugby’s oldest rivalry for a remarkable run of five years in a row, then perhaps the sky really is the limit for Coach Gregor Townsend and his men this year. Either way we can’t wait to see how Scotland’s campaign unfolds this year, and in terms of sheer entertainment value whatever happens over the next two months, you can rest assured Scotland will be top billing.

Despite the Welsh Dragon rarely breathing fire these days, better times may not be all that far away

Despite Wales and Coach Warren Gatland facing truly dark times, there is a glimmer of light emerging at the end of the long tunnel this Six Nations, and outstanding Captain and back rower Jac Morgan and new senation winger Tom Rogers could finally give Welsh fans some long absent cheer

It’s our humble belief that Wales are perhaps the bravest and most dogged side in International Test Rugby. Despite being written off during their annus horribilis of 2024, we can honestly say that they still managed to play for the jersey and display a sense of resolve that clearly defied the almost insurmountable odds stacked against them. Wales despite their recent misfortunes are still a passionate and proud nation with a persistent collective belief that better days lie ahead – just as it’s not unusual to hear the strains of Tom Jones’ Delilah echoing around the Principality Stadium whether Wales are winning or losing.

It’s true that Coach Warren Gatland did not look a happy man in 2024 as one loss followed another and he must have surely questioned his life choices in agreeing to take up the reigns of Wales’ top job in the Coaching box again in 2022. However, as scarce as the results were last year, and in actual fact there weren’t any, we’d urge you to look more closely at the scorelines come the final whistle for a more balanced view of where Wales fortunes really lie. Of eleven Tests played they lost 4 of them by five points or less, most notably Scotland by one point and a narrow two point loss to England at Twickenham, culminating in that final humiliating Six Nations loss to Italy in Round 5 by a mere three points. In short, apart from the hidings dished out to them by Ireland and France, Wales were competitive for a large chunk of the tournament. Where it all went horribly wrong was their summer exhibition match against South Africa at Twickenham in June followed by their two Test series in Australia, against a Wallaby side that many considered to be in even worse shape than themselves.

The Autumn Nations series was at best humiliating for Wales and their supporters, as they were beaten by Fiji and then handed serious schoolings by both Australia and South Africa. At that stage, the end of 2024 just couldn’t come soon enough if you were Welsh.

However, this year, we’d argue there is some room for cautious optimism. Welsh club sides have started to improve their fortunes with very strong showings from Cardiff in the URC and respectable efforts from both Ospreys and the Scarlets in the European Challenge Cup. Will Wales end up clutching the Wooden Spoon once more this year? Sadly, probably yes, but we have a very strong hunch that, unlike last year, they will not emerge totally winless – there’s one game to be had in there somewhere just when everyone is least expecting it.

While the Welsh squad picked for the Six Nations is unlikely to strike fear into the hearts of teams like Ireland, France and Scotland all of whom with the exception of Ireland they have to play away from home, there could be an upset when they meet England at the end of the tournament at the Principality Stadium. The chances of such an event could be heightened if an England side promising much this year has failed to deliver by that point. Extremely challenging trips to Paris, Rome, and Murrayfield lie ahead of them before that fixture in this year’s Six Nations, but don’t write Wales off just yet.

In Captain and back rower Jac Morgan, Wales have a youthful and tireless servant who consistently plays above and beyond week in week out at club level. He’s proven to be a fine leader and shows a maturity and wisdom well beyond his 25 years. In short, he works, plays, and leads like a veteran in their early 30s or at the prime of their playing career. Add Tommy “Turnover” Refell into the mix alongside him coupled to youngster Christ Tshiunza in the second row partnered with Dafydd Jenkins and these four could go a long way to addressing the numerous concerns that remain around Wales competitiveness in the set pieces and especially the lineout.

There are some pacy backs starting to catch the eye again in Wales and electric winger Tom Rogers is considered to be the next big thing for the Men in Red. If the Scarlets man is made full use of by Gatland and his team, Wales’ opponents will find him a handful. The other player for us lurking off your radar screens but likely to be front and centre for Wales by the time the tournament wraps up is 21 year old Ospreys fly half Dan Edwards. The 10 jersey has been a real problem for Wales ever since its guardian in the glory days of Gatland’s tenure, Dan Biggar departed after the last World Cup. Watch Edwards in action in the URC and Challenge Cup, and it’s hard to believe that he is only 21, given the composure and confidence he plays with and sound decision making that backs it all up.

While we don’t see many Welshmen being handed tickets to Australia by Lions Coach Andy Farrell this summer, we’d argue that the next two months should provide an indication that a start is being made to end the rot that has pervaded Welsh rugby for the last eighteen months. Wales still have a long way to go before they are out of the woods and it’s not going to happen just yet, but we have a hunch that noone is going to be taking them all that lightly this year especially at home. The will and the belief is there, of that we have absolutely no doubt. You don’t bring a proud nation steeped in a glorious rugby history like Wales down in the space of just one year. We are convinced that once the Principality Stadium finds it voice once more and starts singing again, Wales will hit some of the right notes at long last – for rugby’s sake, we hope they do!

Well, that it’s folks for now. Over the course of the coming weeks and prior to the start of Super Rugby we’ll continue this series looking at the Southern Hemisphere crew of Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa along with our usual updates on the Six Nations. Till then, Happy Sixmas Eve once more, everyone, and let the games begin!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lineout Calls of the Week – The Year Ahead – Part 2 – Ireland and Italy

With the Six Nations JUST around the corner, we start 2025 with a look at Ireland and Italy and what lies in store for them this year.

With Ireland as back to back Six Nations Champions and their Coach temporarily stepping aside and deputising to Simon Easterby as a result of Lions Tour preparations, it will be an interesting year for Ireland. In addition, with Italy no longer the whipping boys of the Six Nations and clearly starting to develop a talent pool that is showing some genuine promise, both sides have plenty on the line in 2025 and lots to prove. For Ireland, it’s time to fast track a new generation of Irish players, while for Italy it’s a chance to show that they are finally on an upwards trajectory that is more than just a flash in the pan and has some genuine staying power for the next World Cup.

Ireland will want to show their Coach Andy Farrell who has temporarily stepped aside on Lions Duty that the bulk of his squad should hail from the Emerald Isle as they prepare to travel to Australia in the summer, and what better showcase to do so than the Six Nations, and even more so if they pull off a third consecutive Six Nations title – something no side has ever done in the tournament’s illustrious 142 year history (in 4,5, and 6 Nations formats). However, Ireland have been painfully slow to relegate some tried and trusted veterans to the sidelines and as a result one can’t help but get the feeling that the Men in Green don’t look quite as youthful as some of their counterparts. There are plenty of green shoots waiting to mature, but they are seriously short on big game experience. Something that simply has to get addressed and quickly if Ireland are to avoid yet another seemingly inevitable World Cup quarter final exit in just over 3 years’ time.

Italy meanwhile appear to be embracing the challenge of absorbing a promising raft of young talent into their World Cup aspirations at a rate of knots. 2024 was a decidedly cheery year for the Italians with plenty of cause for optimism.  The year started with a Six Nations campaign that finally allowed them to hand the Wooden Spoon to Wales after being cursed with holding the much maligned tournament artifact every year since 2016. Italy were extremely competitive in the Six Nations and unlke in years gone by, there was only one absolute hiding at the hands of Ireland. Otherwise, Italy ran England close, drew with France, and beat both Scotland and Wales. That was followed up by a solid tour of the Pacific, which, despite losing to Samoa, saw them get convincing wins over Tonga and Japan. The Autumn, however, saw Italy lose some of their Six Nations shine, as they only managed a narrow win over Georgia and were thumped by Argentina. They did show some of that promise once more in their final Test against New Zealand despite being comprehensively beaten by the All Blacks at the final whistle.

This year, all eyes will be on how Italy fares with a relatively favorable draw in the Six Nations, especially with their club side Benetton remaining competitive in Europe so far this season. A tough opener in Murrayfield with a Scottish side desperate to atone for their loss to the Azurri last year, will push this young Italian squad to its limits, but apart from a difficult trip to Twickenham in the fourth round they have the advantage of facing Wales, France and Ireland at home. If they can maintain their ability to catch the French napping again and get some other big wins along the way, could a fourth place finish become a reality that could serve them so well as preparation for a gruelling summer Tour to South Africa? As always with Italy, we can’t wait to find out!

So many questions to answer for Ireland – and it all centers around who will be the Man in the Middle for 2025 and usher in a new dawn for a team that needs a new lick of paint

Ireland need to determine the role of the man in the centre of this picture, up and coming fly half Sam Prendergast, but not at the expense of the proven ability of his rival Jack Crowley on the right to handle pressure. Meanwhile, a top quality Captain in the making Caelan Doris is likely to come of age while Coach Andy Farrell looks on from afar as Lions Coach while Simon Easterby temporarily takes charge of the Men in Green

Ireland could best be described as a fancy race car that’s lost some of it’s shine and is still waiting for the new and improved components to get through testing and be fitted to what should be on paper a dominant machine. 2024 was a good year for Ireland, of that there is little doubt, but we were all left feeling that it was an Irish side resting on its laurels and unsure how to forge a brave new path at the start of this next World Cup cycle. A path they simply have to take if they are to avoid yet another quarter final exit at the global showpiece event in 3 years’ time in Australia.

Ireland has some amazing players, but a large proportion of them are sadly the wrong side of 30. Ireland may not be fielding the oldest average age starting 15 this opening weekend of the Six Nations, that honor goes to Scotland, but along with Wales the combined age total of their starting 15 is 420 years and an average age of 28. Compare that to their opponents on Saturday, England, who, along with France, have an average age of 26 and a combined total of 390. While experience is not to be sneezed at there is no denying that Ireland needs to start bringing to the fore some of its promising youngsters and quickly. While Ireland remain the second best team on the World Rugby rankings sheet, everyone else is catching them up at a rate of knots, and there is very little that comes as a surprise from Ireland these days on the pitch. In other words, they have become a tad predictable at times, which leaves them hugely vulnerable to more youthful and adventurous outfits.

However, write one of the best Coached and organised sides in World Rugby off at your peril. As mentioned above, 2024 saw Ireland clinch a second consecutive Six Nations title albeit without a Grand Slam. But apart from the opening three Rounds where they brushed France, Italy, and Wales aside, the shine started to wear off the Green Machine by Round 4 and their loss to England. They then almost got undone by Scotland in the Final Round, and one couldn’t help get the feeling that there was a collective sigh of relief around the Emerald Isle when the final whistle of the Six Nations was sounded.

Next up was a challenging Two Test tour of South Africa, with Ireland rediscovering their penchant for the mighty drop goal as Ciaran Frawley drop kicked Ireland into a one point win in the Second Test and thus tied the series. The Autumn Nation Series saw Ireland fail to shake off their World Cup hangover in a repeat of their quarter final against New Zealand, which, to be honest, showed Ireland up as decidedly undercooked. Then, a tense and scrappy win over Argentina was followed up by a convincing thrashing of Fiji.

However, they were then only able to just squeak home against a rapidly improving Wallaby side. Ireland’s Autumn Nations series was poor by their own high standards despite getting 3 from 4. The clinical, ruthless, and spectacularly efficient Ireland just wasn’t there anymore. Performances were error strewn and at times looked almost lethargic, and their set piece work was often downright alarming along with their discipline. In short, the composure we’re used to seeing from Ireland simply wasn’t there.

It’s not simply a question of in with the new and out with the old, as they head into a challenging Six Nations, with this year’s edition being billed by many as potentially the most competitive tournament we’ve seen in its history. Ireland do have the luxury of playing their two biggest rivals, England and France, at home in Dublin, but 3 tough road trips await them. Scotland at Murrayfield is likely to be exceptionally challenging this year, and although they may not be losing too much sleep over their trip to Cardiff, any kind of complacency could be fatal. Then there is that conundrum of their trip to Rome on the final Saturday of the competition. If Italy have had the kind of positive campaign that many pundits, ourselves included are tipping them to have this year, then that could be a giant banana skin lying in wait in the Italian capital –  especially if the stretcher bearers and medics have largely been able to ignore the Italian squad during the course of the tournament, but instead have paid a lot of attention to Ireland.

There is still a strong possibility that a very large proportion of Irish players will make up Andy Farrell’s Lions squad, but it will be fascinating to see how the team fares under Irish defence Coach Simon Easterby as Farrell takes a sabbatical this Six Nations in preparation for the Lions Tour to Australia this summer. The ongoing debate swirling around much of the media is the competition for the 10 jersey between established successor to the legendary Johnny Sexton, Munster’s Jack Crowley and Leinster upstart and wonder kid, 20 year old Sam Prendergast. Many feel that Crowley’s ability to cope with pressure is superior but Prendergast’s ability to create some genuine magic Sexton style is hard to overlook, along with the fact that he is maturing into Test Rugby at an astonishing speed, much like a cheeky 24 year old Sexton did way back in 2009.

Meanwhile, Caelan Doris, at the tender age of 26, has cemented his role as Ireland’s Captain and is likely to lead the team through the next two World Cup cycles. The rangy Number 8 is an outstanding leader of men and simply gets better every year. There is a certain calmness and focus to the way he carries himself on the pitch that will serve Ireland well over the course of an exceptionally challenging Six Nations campaign and beyond this year, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see him as part of the leadership spine of the upcoming Lions tour. Other than the Lions, we’re at this stage not sure of what lies ahead for Irish players in 2025, except for a highly anticipated return to Soldier Field in Chicago this November against the All Blacks.

If Ireland can combine their seasoned veterans with a shiny coat of new paint from their promising youngsters this year, then Ireland could easily get themselves back into the groove of a team moving forward and constantly evolving, leaving their opponents continuously on the back foot. In their present form and shape that’s simply not there, and if they fall back too heavily on their old guard and don’t embrace the future, Ireland’s fortunes could well see a decline this World Cup cycle forcing wholesale change come the end of events in Australia in 2027. We think it’s unlikely given some of the talent at Ireland’s disposal, but the tea leaves will need to analysed on a regular basis this year if it’s to be avoided and sometimes taking chances, blooding the next generation of Irish players and learning lessons will be the more important imperative than just simply getting results.

Perennnial underdogs no more – this could potentially be the BIGGEST year in Italy’s rugby history!

While Argentinian Gonzalo Quesada may arguably be the sharpest dressed Coach in International Rugby there is no denying he’s brought an equal level of sharpness and focus to Italy, as reflected in the meteoric rise of outstanding centre Tommasso Menoncello and Italy’s ultimate hard man second rower Federico Ruzza.

Every year, we talk Italy up, and every year, they let us down, so imagine our excitement when last year the Azurri finally decided to honor our longstanding faith in them and enthusiasm for their cause. Hang on, we hear you say they only finished 5th in the Six Nations, and their Autumn campaign wasn’t exactly the best. Of the twelve Tests they played, they drew one and lost seven, so not exactly a stellar record. However, look at the nature of some of those losses and the character shown in some of those wins. They only lost by three points to England, drew with France and arguably but for a freak gust of wind, actually could have won that game with the clock in the red. Their win over Scotland was impressive and showed that they have finally managed the composure necessary to win big games and were able to reproduce that same attitude a week later against Wales. In short, imagine if that kick had gone over against France when the clock was in the red – they would have finished fourth.

This year they have a run of home games in the Six Nations which sees them host France and Ireland, so far an injury free squad and after France and England the youngest group of players in the competition. In Argentinian Gonzalo Quesada, they appear to have a Coach who gets the nuances and culture of Italian rugby and has the buy-in of the players, while still being the hard task master they need at times. In short, there is no reason that if the injury gods are kind to them that Italy couldn’t have the best Six Nations in their history this year. Come out of the next two months fighting fit along with some results to show for it all, and all of a sudden their daunting Two Test tour to South Africa this summer becomes a cause for eager anticipation as opposed to a prescription for sleeping medications and pain killers.

One of the things that struck us the most last year was how good a forward pack Italy are developing. Second rower Federico Ruzza has in our opinion always been one of the most underrated players in Test Rugby, and his work rate at times has to be seen to be believed as well as being one of the most successful lineout poachers in last year’s Six Nations. Italy finally has a scrum that is competitive and a group of hard-hitting yet highly mobile forwards. Their discipline is vastly improved, as is their ability to be patient in the heat of battle.

However, for us, it’s the new generation of Italian backs that are really making us sit up and take notice. 22 year old Tommaso Menoncello is likely to be one of the greatest Italian players of his generation though how long Italian club side Benetton will be able to retain the centre’s services remains to be seen, before wealthy French clubs snatch him up, just as they did with outstanding winger Ange Capuozzo who makes headlines every time he runs out for Toulouse. Allied with Juan Ignacio Brex, Menoncello gives Italy an outstanding attacking platform with the fleet footed Capuozzo and Monty Ioane outside them and Paolo Garbisi at fly half and Lyon scrum half Martin Page-Relo pulling the strings.

Italy, could well shine this Six Nations, and either way, regardless of the results, we know we’re going to have a huge amount of fun watching them have a crack at it. They are already our favourite underdog team, and we have a hunch that regardless of what happens in the rest of 2025, a strong finish in the Six Nations will be Italy’s first step in ensuring a ticket to a quarter final berth in Australia in 2027 which is so much more than just an idle dream this time around.

We’ll finish off tonight with Scotland and Wales. Happy Sixmas Eve everyone!

Lineout Calls of the Week – The Year Ahead – Part 1 – England and France

With the Six Nations JUST around the corner, we start 2025 with a look at England and France and what lies in store for them this year.

2024 was a challenging year for England. They put in some good performances make no mistake, but the vast majority of them weren’t convincing and displayed a singular inability to close out big games. England’s 2024 was very much a story of could have/should have/but ultimately didn’t. Of the 12 games they played, they only managed five wins. Their performance last year can be best summed up as downright frustrating for their supporters.

Of their five wins, only two of them were dominant – their away and home games with Japan. While their win over Ireland in the Six Nations was a big scalp, it was only by one point and hung in the balance for the vast majority of the match. Of their three games against New Zealand in their summer tour, two of them could have seen England emerge victorious as England had the lead until the final quarter. In the game against Australia in the Autumn, England had the game won by the 79th minute, only to then lose it in the final 30 seconds. If England can’t fix their seeming inability to close out big games, then 2025 could be an even more painful and frustrating year for them, with the axe likely to fall for Coach Steve Borthwick.

For France, it was a much better year by comparison. A strong second place finish in the Six Nations, followed by a tour of mixed but in general solid fortunes in South America and a clean sweep of their Autumn Nations campaign with a narrow one point win over New Zealand in arguably one of the best games of 2024.

Club Rugby in France is in exceptionally rude health with the TOP 14 seen by many as the world’s finest club competition. Despite French clubs’ budget for a seemingly inexhaustible supply of international talent, it’s French players who consistently make the headlines, week in week out in the competition, providing France with the kind of depth that is the envy of her Northern Hemisphere rivals. France’s U20s team continually produces results with France consistently finishing in the top 2 in the Under 20s World Championship since 2018.

This year sees a challenging program with tough trips to England, Italy, and Ireland in the Six Nations not helped by a troubling injury list. That’s followed by a three Test tour to New Zealand, which has already been under a negative spotlight as France announced that the vast majority of their A-List players will not be making the trip. Nevertheless, watch any TOP 14 or European Champions Cup game featuring a French side, and we have a hunch that New Zealand might need to be careful of what they wish for and could even end up having to eat humble pie this summer.

England need to find that final quarter fix and develop some consistency in both execution and selection

England Coach Steve Borthwick knows the pressure is on as his team simply has to find that finishing formula this year. One of the keys may be cementing the roles of two of his brightest rising stars, playmaker Marcus Smith and all action forward Chandler Cunnigham- South.

2024 was a frustrating year for England, whichever way you cut it. So close yet so far, ultimately from being the team they need to be. They struggled to assert themselves against Italy and Wales despite narrow wins in both games in the opening two games of last year’s Six Nations and managed to fluff their lines for the fourth year in a row against Scotland and with it the Calcutta Cup. A third place finish in the Six Nations saw them put in a strong performance against Ireland to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the dying seconds. Their campaign ended on a low note as they were handed an agonisignly close loss in Paris against France as once again they failed to close out a high stakes game and lost the plot with 1 minute left on the clock.

The Six Nations was followed by a trip to Japan where they thumped their former Coach Eddie Jones’ charges 52-17 and a two Test series in New Zealand where in both matches they fell agonisingly short of upending their hosts. New Zealand came to Twickenham in the fall, and once again, England simply couldn’t close out the game – a theme that was to be repeated against Australia and South Africa over the next two weeks. Their only solace being another thrashing of Eddie Jones Japanese charges at the end of the Autumn Nations.

Don’t get us wrong, England are a good team and are blessed with some truly world-class players. Steve Borthwick seems a decent Coach committed to results. However, this ongoing inability to close out big games is concerning given the talent at his disposal. If anything, England seem plagued by the All Blacks’ recent struggles with the final 20 minutes of Test Rugby. New Zealand would appear to have sorted that out, but England still look off the mark. A conservative play style and perhaps not the best decision making when it comes to choosing their starting 15, seems to be hindering England, in conjunction with the fact that they are clearly struggling with how to integrate the world class electric talent of fly half Marcus Smith into a cohesive game plan. In our humble opinion, until England can crack that nut, their struggles will continue. Smith has a remarkable ability to spot opportunities, but the rest of his team seem to be several pages behind on the team playbook sheet, leaving him exposed and without the necessary support. If England can fix that and ally the rest of their considerable talent to Smith’s sense of vision as games unfold, they could be unstoppable.

So, what are England’s prospects this year? You’d have to argue it gets off to an uneasy start with a tough Six Nations opener featuring a trip to Dublin to face back to back champions, Ireland. That’s followed by hosting a red hot France and then a Scottish side, which appears to be a permanent thorn in England’s side. As a result despite the tough trip to Ireland immediately followed by a visit from tournament favourites France, England’s draw improves as the tournament progresses with a run of three back to back home games at Twickenham, and then a final trip on Super Saturday to Wales to take on a Welsh side likely licking plenty of wounds at that stage and with one hand already clutching the Wooden Spoon.

After the Six Nations, it’s most likely Lions duty in Australia for the likes of key players like new England Captain and talismanic second rower Maro Itoje, dynamic back rower Chandler Cunnigham-South and fly half wizard Marcus Smith among others. For those not going to Australia with the Lions, there is a challenging summer Two Test series in Argentina. As yet, we are unsure of England’s Autumn Nations campaign, but if England have a positive Six Nations, then the stay of execution for under pressure Coach Steve Borthwick should be assured.

As for the Six Nations, which will be the ultimate Test of what England has learnt in the last twelve months, we think another third place is in the offing. A lot of it is going to depend on Borthwick’s decision-making around who his fly half is going to be. Go with Marcus Smith allied to an attacking fast paced back row including players like Cunnigham-South, Ben Earls and new sensation Tom Willis and England could seriously cut up the turf against big rivals like Ireland, France and Scotland as well as potentially get some serious momentum early in the tournament.

On that note, although England are still rueing the loss of Jack Willis to French club rugby where he is steadfastly performing miracles week in week out with Toulouse, his younger brother Tom looks set to carry on the family tradition and is already showing exceptionally promising signs for Saracens. If however, Borthwick allies Smith to a more grind and graft forward pack approach then the Harlequins fly half and the rest of his team are likely to be out of sync, and the more conservative play style of a fly half in the mold of George Ford or Finn Smith would be the more appropriate choice.

The other big call in terms of Borthwick’s selection decisions is the choice of second rower and all action man Maro Itoje as the Red Roses Captain this year. There is no denying that England needs a Captain who is likely to stay on the pitch for the full 80 minutes, a role Itoje often performs, as well as his constant energy and enthusiasm in spurring his teammates on at every turnover ball or penalty won by England. Former Captain and Hooker Jamie George, although a noble servant, rarely lasts the full 80 minutes, and it is evident that the change in leadership on the pitch at such crucial junctures is costing England that final 20 minutes. As a motivational speaker on the pitch, England will be hard pressed to beat the highly vocal and animated Itoje.

If England get through this Six Nations with a settled squad that clearly demonstrates a selection policy reflecting the game they want to play and who they are going to build it around, then 2025 could be a rather special year in terms of looking towards a future that has always promised but never materialised. If they chop and change throughout the Six Nations, we fear England may continue to find themselves stuck in a garage filled with high quality components but without the manual on how to assemble them all into a world beating machine, and sadly Steve Borthwick ending up having to start dusting off his resume come the end of the tournament.

France could prove to be one of THE hottest tickets of 2025 with a level of depth that few countries can boast

Despite some injury concerns, French Coach Fabien Galthie is surely feeling more than just a little optimistic about his side’s chances this year. He has a raft of rapidly rising stars at his disposal and more being discovered every week, exemplified by Bordeaux’s electric winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Toulose’s spectacular second rower Emmanuel Meafou.

France had a good year last year make no mistake. They still managed to finish second in the Six Nations, despite being without the services of arguably the greatest player on the planet, scrum half Antoine Dupont who was busy preparing for Olympic Sevens duty for his country, and a shaky start to their campaign which saw them lose to Ireland in Marseille in the opening round. Then there was a tense trip to Scotland where they almost came unstuck, followed by a draw with Italy which should have been the Azurri’s game but for an unfortunate wobble of the kicking tee and a rushed kick in the dying seconds of the game in Lille. Then it was a demolition job on Wales in Cardiff, finishing with a nervy win over England in Paris.

Nevertheless, in the process France unearthed a bucket load of rising talent, a challenge which they intensified on a gruelling summer tour of South America which saw them get solid wins over Argentina and Uruguay, but come just short of clinching the series as a Pumas side with a point to prove taught them a few harsh lessons in their final Test which they lost in Buenos Aries.

Then, with their full complement of superstars, they proceeded to annihiliate Japan in the Autumn and get revenge for Argentina getting the better of them that summer. In perhaps one of the best games of the year, they held on to close the game out against New Zealand by a mere point, but it was a masterclass in holding one’s nerve in the face of a determined and dangerous opponent who kept clawing their way back into contention – a trait that has been sadly absent all too often in France’s recent past.

It was a year where phenomenal winger Damian Penaud scored tries simply for fun, while his partner on the other wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey left us speechless at times with his turn of pace and magic feet. Giant second rower Emmanuel Meafou struck fear into every opposition forward pack he encountered and proved almost impossible to bring down, a trait that has made him one of Toulouse’s most valuable assets this season both in Europe and the TOP 14. Whenever one player was unavailable due to either club committments or injury, another simply stepped into his place and picked up where they left off. In short, whatever squad France turned out on any given day, it was hard to find a weakness, even if the names weren’t overly familiar at times.

In short, France seems to be developing a level of depth that is the envy of most of their opponents. There are the tried and trusted veterans and a host of up and coming stars in the making. Head Coach Fabien Galthie must feel that the Rugby Gods have blessed him with a golden horn of riches.

Much talk has been made of their current injury list for the Six Nations, which sees them missing the services of key forwards like back rower Charles Ollivon, but also centres Gael Fickou and Jonathan Danty. Unfortunate, yes, but not exactly the end of the world, given France’s talent pool. Watch any TOP 14 game, and you’ll see that France is blessed with more quality centres than they know what to do with, while the back row has a queue out the front door of potential replacements. Admittedly, experience may be lacking in some cases, but there is still enough of a seasoned spine in this French team to carry them through. There are temporary injury issues affecting superstar winger Damian Penaud and in our opinion one of the world’s most dynamic second rowers at the moment Thibaud Flament, but both players should be available for at least the second half of France’s Six Nations campaign.

It’s our humble opinion that while France may not clinch a Grand Slam this Six Natioins, they are odds on favourites to lift the trophy on March 15th. After that it’s a three Test Tour to New Zealand, with an exciting development squad as Galthie and the French Union have elected to rest the majority of their A-List players much to the chagrin of the New Zealand public. While the Kiwis may be upset, we can’t wait to see France’s “next gen” team in action and feel that New Zealand may well end up having to eat humble pie in at least one of those Tests.

France end their year with dates scheduled for the Autumn Nations series against World Champions South Africa, followed by fixtures with Fiji and finally Australia. If the summer tour goes well and some valuable experience is gained by France’s newbies, and come November their big guns gain revenge for France’s World Cup semi final exit at the hands of the Springboks, then what a year this could be for Galthie and his players – especially if the Six Nations trophy is sitting locked away in Paris by the time his young charges board the long flight to New Zealand at the end of June. If you’re a neutral this year, then we have a hunch you’ll be watching and wearing a lot of blue in 2025!

We’ll be back tomorrow with Ireland and Italy!

Lineout Calls of the Week – International Duty Calls for the URC

While in our previous post we raved on about France’s TOP 14 as probably the premier rugby club competition on the planet, we now turn our attention to our favorite club competition and how players from its various countries are likely to influence the eagerly anticipated Autumn Nations Series. As you know, if you follow this blog, the United Rugby Championship featuring teams from Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Wales, and Italy keeps our attention week in week out over the long fall and winter months. Its international flavor is producing a consistently high standard of rugby, and there is no doubt that the exposure players get through it is excellent preparation for International Duty.

So, without any further ado, let’s get into how the URC season so far will have a bearing on who is likely to be making the headlines as the International Season in the Northern Hemisphere gets underway.

While Leinster continues to dominate the URC, albeit without any silverware to show for it recently, it’s proving to be a mixed bag for other Irish teams

Leinster’s regular season dominance of the URC sees them heavily represented in Irish Coach Andy Farrell’s Autumn Nations squad Captained by the exceptional Caelan Doris, while the fly half debate rages between Munster’s Jack Crowley and Leinster’s Ciaran Frawley. Meanwhile, is a forgotten hero in the shape of Ulster’s Jacob Stockdale likely to be back to his best again against New Zealand?

Leinster, the superstars of the modern-day URC, are a conundrum. Week in week out, they put on thrilling displays with a player base that consistently makes up the bulk of any Ireland squad. However, for the last three seasons, they have singularly failed to reach the finals and hoist what is an increasingly cherished piece of silverware in rugby circles. The quality of their squad is not in doubt, and when seamlessly blended into the national side results do come their way, albeit not the most cherished one of all, life beyond the Quarter Finals at a World Cup.

Nevertheless, Ireland head into this Autumn Nations Campaign as the number one side in the World and with it a huge target on their back. Their rivals for this prestigous number, South Africa, will not get a chance to spar with the Men from the Emerald Isle this fall, but Ireland did manage to deny South Africa a series win when on their summer tour to the Springboks homeland, ending it with 1 apiece. Ireland will be looking instead for revenge against New Zealand this November, who last year handed them yet another Quarter Final exit at the World Cup. Clashes between these two sides have now become the stuff of legends, and Ireland have become a genuine problem team for the All Blacks, particularly when the Irish are on home soil. Consequently, this will be the game Ireland will want to win the most.

That’s not to say that the rest of the month is without its challenges. For us, the real wild card is that game against Argentina, immediately following the All Blacks game. If getting one over New Zealand seriously depletes Ireland’s resources given an already troubling injury list, Argentina if they have one of their “on” days could catch Ireland unawares, much as the Pumas did against South Africa and New Zealand this year. Even that final game of their Autumn campaign against a slowly improving Australian outfit, with their former Coach Joe Schmidt and his intimate knowledge of Irish rugby running the Wallabies game plan, could become a problem for Ireland if the medics have been busy throughout the month.

We’ve always felt that Ireland have lacked a leader with the stature of the mighty Paul O’Connell, but in Leinster’s Caelan Doris, we have a hunch they are rediscovering it. Johnny Sexton and Peter O’Mahony have been fine leaders of men able to galvanize that Irish fighting spirit, but all too often the red mist got in the way of objective leadership in the heat of battle, something that Doris seems to manage exceptionally well. He’s no pushover, and his charges rally to him in a heartbeat but he knows when to play the nuances of the ebb and flow of a game and how to manage the officials – a trait we always felt O’Connell was particularly gifted with.

Leinster, as always, are heavily represented in the forward pack, but there are the usual Munster suspects there as well. Munsterman Tadgh Beirne is always a natural choice for Andy Farrell and even if his form at club at present is not quite at his normal barnstorming best, he invariably transforms into a loose forward from hell popping up ALL over the park once he dons the green jersey. His club teammate and epitome of the Irish fighting spirit, Peter O’Mahony, also finds himself in the mix once more, despite rumors of retirement. However, for us, it’s the Ulster contingent of new cap Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, and Tom O’Toole that we’re most excited to see in action. These three have been a large part of Ulster’s steady grind in the URC, which still sees them holding onto 7th on the log. Meanwhile, Cian Prendergast and U20s legend, along with Dave Heffernan and Finlay Bealham, bring some reliability in the forward battles that have put Connacht fifth on the URC log.

In the backs, though, all the talk will be centered around the debate as to who should ultimately be developed to fill the boots of legendary fly half Johnny Sexton. Will it be current incumbent Jack Crowley from Munster, or Leinster’s Ciaran Frawley, whose pedigree is growing with every outing and which helped Ireland draw the series with South Africa this summer at the death. However, for us, it’s the return to form of Ulster winger Jacob Stockdale that’s proving to be the most exciting for us. Remember his exploits in that first epic win over the Men in Black in Dublin in 2018, which cemented the current rivalry between the two sides which kicked off in Chicago in 2016. The man has some genuine gas and extraordinary athleticism, now allied to some improved defensive skills. Leinster’s Hugo Keenan, who is almost impossible to tackle on a good day, also returns to the fullback role after Olympic Sevens’ duty and is already making his presence felt on the URC circuit. Connacht’s Mack Hansen also returns from injury, and we all know what the maverick winger can do given a hint of space.

Ireland have the potential to have it all their own way this Autumn, but a growing injury list could scuttle their plans and New Zealand, Argentina and even Australia know that at times the medics and consistency can be Ireland’s greatest Achilles Heel. Also the Fiji game should be a chance for some of the younger Irish guns who have made such an impression at the under 20s level to get their names under the lights on the big stage at the Avivia. Either way, these have the potential to be some of the best games of the series.

Defending URC Champions Glasgow continue to look the real deal, but can Scotland’s two teams in the competition produce enough depth for a challenging run of fixtures this November?

Glasgow has become a remarkable team. World class, in their own right, they have heavily influenced Scottish Coach Gregor Townsend’s selection decisions with stellar players like Rory Darge and Sione Tuipolotu getting the Captain’s armband. Bolstered by the likes of Edinburgh’s Duhan van der Merwe, they like everyone else this November will see their clash with World Champions South Africa as their biggest challenge.

Scottish teams, both at URC level and Internationally, now have a reputation of consistently punching above their weight. Scotland has a mere two teams in the URC, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with the former being defending Champions. While there are a host of players plying their trade in the English Premiership and a sprinkling in France’s TOP 14, Scotland despite its relatively small player base has an exciting group of players to call upon for International duty.

Glasgow Warriors, who are defending URC champions and currently sit a comfortable second on the log, are providing Scottish Coach Gregor Townsend with the bulk of his Autumn Nations squad. Glasgow are just back from a tour to South Africa, which saw them lose narrowly to South Africa’s “super” team the Sharks and claim a solid win against the Stormers. Consequently, they will be primed and ready to go for the game they no doubt want to win the most this autumn, that fixture against the Springboks on November 10th. Their ever impressive Vice Captain and Glasgow loose forward Rory Darge has shown that Glasgow’s forward pack can compete with South Africa’s best. While Edinburgh are not having a dream start to their season, they still add value to any Scottish selection and are well represented in Townsend’s picks, and not just to make up the numbers.

In the backs, Glasgow have been a revelation this season, and as a result, their own Sione Tuipolotu is given the Scotland Captaincy this Autumn. In addition to his raft of dynamic Glasgow speedsters he’ll be ably assisted by Edinburgh’s try scoring sensation and South African import Duhan van der Merwe, and Toulouse’s Blair Kinghorn who has found life in France a revelation. Bath’s Finn Russell will be weaving his magic in the ten jersey and assisting Tuipolotu as the other vice Captain, while the scrum half berth looks set to be hotly contested between Toulon’s Ben White, Glasgow’s George Horne and Edinburgh’s Ali Price.

Scotland are an exceptionally exciting side who, on their day are capable of beating anyone. Consequently, as a benchmark for their progress ahead of what should be a hotly contested Six Nations next February, they are likely to be setting the South African game as their ultimate prize. Fiji should be a good measure of the less experienced squad members, while Australia should be a real chance to blend the young and the old, especially if things go well against South Africa. We regard Scotland as the Northern equivalent of the Flying Fijians, so you won’t want to miss any of their four games this Autumn.

South African teams have had a massive impact on improving the quality of the URC, and their exposure to it has meant that the Springboks arrive for November’s fixture list with an intimate knowledge of many of their opponents. Everyone in the URC is already painfully aware of the fact that it’s dangerous to swim with Sharks

The Sharks’ Springbok heavy super side featuring the likes of Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Aphelele Fassi and Lukanyo Am among others is already starting to wreak havoc in the URC, but the Bulls are also making a hefty contribution to Springbok Coach Rassie Erasmus’ November plans.

Despite the initial scepticism voiced by some over the introduction of the four South African franchises, the Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks into the URC a few years ago, there is little doubt that it’s been a huge success and transformed the competition into one of the most exciting brands out there in club rugby. We are sympathetic to some of the logistical concerns involved, but so far, that seems to have been managed relatively effectively. Players and fans seem to be thoroughly enjoying an experiment that has become a runaway success.

What we’ve found fascinating this season is that while the Sharks and their heavyweight contingent of Springboks, are graudally clawing their way up the URC ladder at a rate of knots and we have a strong hunch we’ll be seeing them in the final, the lesser known Lions have been THE surprise package of the competition so far. The Men from Johannesburg sit fourth on the log at the moment and have a raft of superstars in the making. Meanwhile, the Bulls, long a powerhouse of Super Rugby, sit third. The only South African team genuinely struggling to make a dent in the competition are ironically the one team who has one the title, Cape Town’s Stormers.

Despite the runaway success and sheer entertainment value of the Lions, we were very surprised to see none of them make it into Coach Rassie Erasmus’ selection lists. It’s our opinion that at this stage in South Africa’s World Cup cycle that is a mistake, but then the Springbok Coaching Maestro, is rarely wrong in his calls so whether you agree or not you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Keep your chins up Lions supporters, you’ll be seeing your boys sooner or later in the Green and Gold.

Erasmus is clearly looking for a clean sweep this Autumn Nations series to knock Ireland off their number one perch in the World Rankings. As a result he is leaving little to chance, and for his forward pack is drawing heavily on his tried and trusted Sharks Springbok contingent, the emerging stars from the Bulls and a host of players plying their trade predominantly in Japan but also a sprinkling from Europe. All the Sharks heavyweights are there Siya Kolisi, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nche, but so is the Japanese gang of Pieter Steph du Toit, Kwagga Smith, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert and Jaspar Wiese. However, of note are the Bulls relative newcomers who are playing an increasingly dominant role in the Springboks ever present physicality such as second rower Ruan Nortje, prop Gerhard Steenkamp and back rower Marco van Staden. This is a unit that is going to leave plenty of dents on the pitches at Murrayfield, Twickenham, and Cardiff next month.

In the backs, it’s no surprise to see the Sharks once more making up the bulk of Rassie’s picks. We’re delighted to see a player who we tipped for big things a few years ago, finally coming into his own. The Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi is speed personified, but now also has some superb game management and a clever kicking game to add to his bow. The other Sharks who are increasingly grabbing the headlines for us are scrum half Grant Williams and his partner in the nine jersey at the Shark Tank Jaden Hendrikse, both of whom also possess remarkably accurate and handy boots, particularly if fly half Manie Libbok is having one of his nightmare days off the kicking tee. On the fly half question, Erasmus has loaded his options with the Stormers brilliant playmaker but unreliable goal kicker Manie Libbok. Leicester Tigers Iceman Handre Pollard is naturally in the squad for those big games and is likely to take center stage in the ten jersey for the game South Africa will want to win the most against England. Also, look out for the Bulls duo out wide of Canan Moodie and Kurt Lee Arendse, along with Japan based legend Cheslin Kolbe. All three of them are finally being integrated into an exciting free-flowing Springbok game plan that is allowed to exercise its remarkable talent off the back of South Africa’s traditional physical dominance up front.

This is a VERY exciting Springbok unit that is destined to cause some genuine heartache in the pubs around Murrayfield, Twickenham, and the Principality Stadium this Autumn. They no doubt will set their sights on rubbing England’s nose in the turf yet again at Twickenham on November 16th as their most important game, but a clean sweep across the board, will be key if they are to settle their score with Ireland in the World Rankings after the summer, even though the two are not meeting this month. Their opponents have been warned, and it may be time to find some shark repellent!

After a few years in the doldrums, this URC season is showing some genuine hope for Welsh rugby, which will be a delight to beleaugered Welsh Coach Warren Gatland

The Scarlets baby faced warrior Sam Costelow has been Welsh Coach Warren Gatland’s hope for the future in the fly half role but Cardiff’s Ben Thomas is pushing him hard, while traditional Welsh bruisers Aaron Wainwright of the Dragons and Jac Morgan of the Ospreys are set to be the grunt of a Welsh pack showing signs of a renaissance

It would probably still be a stretch to say that Welsh rugby is in a happy place, but based on this URC season, there may well be reasons to be cautiously optimistic about this Autumn Nations series. Albeit it’s early days in the season, but there are two Welsh teams in the top eight spots on the log. Scarlets sit sixth, and Cardiff currently occupies the eigth spot. Even traditional no hopers, the Dragons have a game in hand and, at times, have looked genuinely competitive. The Ospreys despite some genuine talent in their ranks and the fact that in every other season they have tended to be the dominant Welsh side, appear to be struggling but Welsh Coach Warren Gatland knows that once they pull on the red jersey their club form becomes irrelevant.

As a result, it’s a healthy spread across the four Welsh URC teams in terms of Gatland’s selections, with some notable additions from the English Premiership. The Dragons Aaron Wainwright and Ospreys Jac Morgan become men possessed once they pull on a Welsh jersey, and the same can be said of Leicester Tigers “Turnover” Tommy Reffell. However, it’s Exeter Chiefs’ second rower Christ Tshiunza, who we find we’re constantly looking for in the Welsh starting 15 on matchday. The Congolese born lock has a manic physicality to him that reminds us of New Zealand’s Ardie Savea and his whirling dervish antics on a rugby field. In short, it’s an exciting package.

In the backs, a player we are genuinely excited to see in action is a newcomer from Gloucester Max Llewellyn. The increasingly impressive center tackles like a demon and already has five tries to his name in the English Premiership for his Gloucester club. We’re already huge fans of Cardiff fullback Cameron Winnett, whose appearances have shown a maturity and ability well beyond his 21 years.

However, perhaps the biggest question on everyone’s lips in Wales is the future of fly half Sam Costelow. Although he looks as though he’s just come out of primary school, it’s clear to see why Welsh Coach Warren Gatland feels he is the future of the 10 jersey in Wales. It’s just that the consistency isn’t there sometimes, especially under pressure. As a result, Cardiff’s Ben Thomas is rapidly stealing his limelight. The Cardiff Blues playmaker is also highly effective in the centre channels, so if Costelow can make a positive impression this Autumn then in theory the 10 jersey is safe in his hands and Thomas’ considerable abilities can be used elsewhere on the pitch. Waiting in the wings if all else fails is Gloucester’s Gareth Anscombe, who has had an equally chequered time of it in the Welsh number 10 jersey.

Wales, given their own lack of confidence, will see the game against an equally unsure Australia as their biggest prize this fall and just retribution for the misfortunes they suffered in a Land Down Under this summer. Do well here and emerge with a solid win, and their date a week later with powerhouse World Champions South Africa may be less of a humiliation. Time will tell for a side very much in the process of rebuilding, but Wales’ efforts next month may be some of the most interesting to watch in terms of a team’s development at this stage of the World Cup cycle.

Italian Rugby is showing signs of finally coming of age with some players benefitting from the frenetic pace of France’s TOP 14 while Benetton continue to get better with every year in the URC

Toulouse’s Ange Capuozzo is one of THE most exciting wingers in club rugby right now, while Benetton’s new boy Manuel Zuliani is adding some real cut and thrust to an already impressive forward pack. Benetton’s Tommaso Menoncello is arguably one of Europe’s most damaging centres and could make some serious inroads against Argentina in the game Italy are most likely targetting as their benchmark of this Autumn campaign.

Yes, you guessed we can’t wait to tune into the Ange Capuozzo show over the coming weeks. The Toulouse try machine is rapidly becoming an International sensation, and although he looks like at times you can snap him in two with just a wind gust, the youngster is not shy of the physical side of the game, and has put in some try saving tackles that his brother in stature, South Africa’s Cheslin Kolbe would be proud of.

However, enough of our fan boy adulation of Capuozzo, justified as it is. Italy are finally starting to look like a side genuinely emerging from their unfair tag of the last twenty years, of simply being a side there to make up the numbers. Their best Six Nations ever this year has translated into a continued strong showing in the URC by Benetton, even if as they head into the Autumn International break, they remain outside the top 8. Nevertheless, they have put in some strong performances, including a win over the Sharks and a narrow loss to the Bulls last weekend. Even traditional whipping boys Zebre Parma, while although sitting bottom of the URC table managed to pull off the upset of the season by beating Irish giants Munster and almost got a win against emerging South African super side the Lions two weeks ago. The promise that Italian rugby has always held is slowly starting to awaken at long last. Under the guidance of new Coach Gonzalo Quesada, Italy are set to have the most positive buildup to a World Cup they’ve had in years.

It’s also worth pointing out that Italian players are gaining increasing interest from overseas clubs, and that is reflected in Gonzalo’s forward selections for November. Exeter’s loose forward Ross Vintcent is making serious waves in the English Premiership and caught the eye in Italy’s summer tour of the South Pacific and Japan. Dino Lamb impresses week in week out for Harlequins, and Hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi is often in Toulon highlight reels, while Marco Riccioni is becoming a consistent feature of the Saracens front row. However, Benetton, as usual, takes the lions share of votes, with the Cannone brothers, Michele Lamaro, and for us, one of Italy’s best players, the irrepressible and exceptionally dynamic second rower Federico Ruzza. We’re also really looking forward to seeing relative newcomer loose forward and U20s superstar Manuel Zuliani really come into his own this Autumn at the International level in the same manner which he is doing so at his club Benetton. He is the club’s most prolific turnover master and is likely to be a genuine problem for opposition defenses.

In the backs, once again, it’s no surprise that Benetton once more dominate the lists, but there’s also a healthy sprinkling of overseas based players, most notably the outstanding Ange Capuozzo from Toulouse. Opposite him on the other wing expect to see a lot of Lyon based winger Monty Ioane. The scrum half contest will be equally tasty with fly half and Toulon based Paolo Garbisi’s brother Alessandro being Quesada’s preferred staring nine, but Lyon’s Martin Page-Relo is making everyone sit up and take notice of his role in the nine jersey. For us, though, one of the most exciting things in Italian rugby right now is the Benetton center pairing of Juan Ignacio Brex and arguably Italy’s player of the year Tommaso Menoncello. Menoncello is superb at breaking up opposition defenses and allied to the equally destructive Brex gives Italy huge traction in both attack and defense in the center channels. Menoncello also has a blistering turn of speed, making him very hard to bring down once he’s built up a head of steam. Allied to Capuozzo, Ioane and Benetton’s electric Louis Lynagh (son of famous Wallaby Michael Lynagh) out wide, Menoncello could end up being a genuine handful for Argentina, which is likely to be the game they are targetting the most this November.

This is a VERY respectable Italian side and one that shows great promise for the future. They will definitely fancy their chances against a strong but wildly inconsistent Pumas side, and as a result, this is likely to be their biggest game of the Autumn series. Should they emerge victorious from that match and find themselves facing an All Black side that is at the end of a 2024 season they would rather forget, could this be the biggest Autumn Nations series in Italian history? We can’t wait to find out, but either way, Italy will want a strong campaign to prove that their dramatically improved Six Nations performance this year was no flash in the pan. Oh and while you’re at it Italy please make sure that Ange Capuozzo gets to see plenty of ball!

Lineout Calls of the Week – England and France’s Domestic Muscle to be put to the Test

As one of our favorite times of the year kicks off this weekend, the Autumn Nations, we look ahead to what should be a cracking series. In the first of two instalments, we look at the fortunes of England and France in relation to the progress of their two domestic competitions, the Premiership and the TOP 14 so far this season.

England will be looking to show New Zealand, who’s boss at Twickenham, but will ultimately want to knock World Champions South Africa off their Perch

After giving New Zealand serious food for thought this summer, England will want to show that Twickenham has the same aura for them as Eden Park does for the All Blacks. However, it’s that big Test against a seemingly unstoppable Springbok side two weeks later that will really tell England how far they’ve come since the World Cup. Expect Saracens Ben Earl to be at the forefront of it all while Finn and Marcus battle it out to see which Smith is Borthwick’s preferred fly half. Meanwhile Harlequins rising star loose forward Chandler Cunnigham-Smith could be the biggest event of the series

England and their supporters will be relishing this Autumn Nations series, as they get back to back duels with New Zealand, England, and South Africa in that order. They will have been disappointed to come just shy of tilting windmills in New Zealand this summer, but will be heartened by some strong performances at times in this year’s Six Nations, most notable of which saw them deny the current number one ranked side in the world Ireland, a Grand Slam.

Despite its ongoing structural and financial difficulties, the English Premiership has produced some cracking rugby so far this season, and as a result, England Coach Steve Borthwick has been spoilt for choice when it comes to selection. Individuals like Ben Earl from Saracens who have become such a force in England’s back row were no doubt at the top of Borthwick’s list. This series, is also likely to shed more light on who his starting number 10 is likely to be for this World Cup cycle.

Despite Bath finding themselves at the top of the Premiership table, they feature slightly less in Borthwick’s selection priorities than some of the other teams with Borthwick having a genuine penchant for packing his forwards with representatives from fourth placed Saracens, with the irrepressible Ben Earl likely to be in the thick of everything. In the backs, he tends to favor players from Northampton despite the fact that the Saints are having a rather poor start to their season so far sitting 7th on the Premiership log. However, the debate as to who is the fairest fly half of them all will continue to rage between the equally talented Marcus Smith of Harlequins and Finn Smith of Northampton.

Overall, there is a fairly consistent representation of much the same group that traveled to New Zealand in the summer, but also some interesting new faces. Northampton’s quartet of George Furbank at fullback, Fin Smith in the hotly contested fly half berth and Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme out wide clearly provide England with some attacking grunt, alongside Saracens centre Alex Lozowski who we’ve always felt is a seriously underrated player, and who has sadly been overlooked on too many occasions by England selectors. Expect some genuine excitement from Exeter winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who looks to be the next big thing in England’s back line. Leicester Tigers scrum half Jack van Poortfliet is back in the mix though for us the jury is out on whether or not he really is the way forward for England in the number nine jersey or whether it should be Harry Randall from Bristol Bears.

Up front England remain relatively unchanged from the summer tour to New Zealand, though Sale’s Curry Twins make a return from injury and Charlie Ewels is also back from the casualty ward at Bath, though we do have concerns about his discipline at times. However, for us, it’s Leicester’s George Martin, who is one of the most eye-catching components of England’s forward pack. The loose forward was consistently impressive in New Zealand this summer, and at only 23, this will be a player to watch in this World Cup cycle. Perhaps even more exciting is the new found phenomenon of Harlequins loose forward Chandler Cunnigham-Smith. The dynamic 21 year old has had a meteoric rise through the ranks since joining Harlequins and made a huge impact off the bench against Ireland in the Six Nations and also during England’s tour to New Zealand this summer. Allied with England’s one man panzer division in the shape of Saracens Ben Earl this will be a player to watch.

This weekend’s game against New Zealand will be a highlight of England’s autumn schedule, and they will be desperate to prove that their two losses on tour to the Men in Black were as close as the scorelines suggested. They will want to make the point that Twickenham is their version of New Zealand’s Eden Park and that they are tough to beat on their hallowed ground. However, for us, we imagine their biggest and most anticipated Test awaits on November 16th when they face the World Champions South Africa. The Springboks are on an almost irrepressible roll since the World Cup, with only Argentina and Ireland raining on their seemingly unstoppable parade this year. South Africa have denied England World Cup glory in the last two iterations of the tournament, and surely there is just more than a hint of a score to be settled here, especially on England’s home turf. We don’t think it’s likely but, if England were to pull off a clean sweep of their four Autumn Internationals with wins over New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Japan, then their Six Nations rivals will have been well and truly warned come next February!

Can the excitement of perhaps the best club competition on the planet, France’s Top 14, translate itself onto the International stage once more?

If Toulouse superstar Antoine Dupont and Bordeaux’s try scoring machines Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey have anything to do with it, we’d say yes.

While we tend to follow in detail the URC due to its international flavor, there is no denying that we try to make a point of catching action when we can in France’s outstanding domestic competition the TOP 14. Agreed the finances that this competition seems to have at its disposal help make it such an exciting product replete with numerous international superstars, but there is no denying that it produces some of the most scintillating club rugby on the planet. If you don’t believe us, catch the highlights of table topping Toulouse thrashing Toulon this weekend.

Consequently, there are very few surprises that the bulk of Coach Fabien Galthie’s side is comprised of players from the two teams that are dominating the table in the TOP 14, Toulouse and Bordeaux Begles. While Toulouse dominates the forward selections, Bordeaux takes the lions’ share of the backs. Naturally Toulouse’s extraordinary scrum half Antoine Dupont is in the mix although his club halfback partner Romain Ntamack is sidelined with injury. However, look out for Nolann le Garrec from Racing 92 who is chasing hard on Dupont’s heels to be his deputy and who is likely to feature as the starting 9 for the Japan game and possibly even the Argentina fixture. We’re also fascinated to see if Antoine Frisch, who consistently shone for Irish province Munster, but now has returned to his homeland and is making some noise at Toulon, is able to lay down a marker in the blue jersey.

Without having watched much of the TOP 14 we’re intrigued to see how France’s forward pack fare, but in general Fabien Galthie and his Coaching staff have been able to consistently source a mobile yet highly physical set of forwards, and there are plenty of big names in this autumn’s selection such as Gregory Aldritt, Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch and so the list goes on and on. One player we think might burst onto France’s radar this autumn is former France U20s World Champion Captain and Montpelier loose forward Lenni Nouchi. The young man will turn 21 the day before France play Argentina this November, and we have a hunch that we are going to be seeing a lot of his name mentioned in French press releases over the course of this World Cup cycle.

There is little doubt that France will be placing huge emphasis on their game against the All Blacks on November 16th, especially as it is still unfinished business from the World Cup in their eyes as having beaten them in the Pool stages, many expected that it would ultimately be a rematch in the Final. It will be their biggest game of the November series for France, especially as contests between the two at the Stade de France have produced some genuine classics in the last few years. However, could Argentina, if they fix their issues with consistency, also produce a contest for the ages a week later? France will need a strong November to set them up for a solid Six Nations campaign, which, although they finished second this year, left them with more questions than answers at times. The World Cup hangover and resulting bitter disappointment that came with it should definitely be behind them now, so expect to see a French side that could genuinely be the finished product in Australia in 2027 really start to shine.

We’ll be back with the URC countries including South Africa next!

Lineout Calls of the Week – The WXV Comes of Age in a Thrilling Final

Well, what a tournament that was! We thoroughly enjoyed our three weekends of top flight Women’s rugby and if the frenetic pace and at times brutal physicality of the final match between Canada and England are anything to go by, then next year’s World Cup in England should be a run away box office success. While we were slightly disappointed that there was FAR too much empty space in the stands at BC Place, and that Canada ultimately fell just short of the ultimate prize, both for the Women’s game as a whole and Canada in particular there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic as we look towards next year’s World Cup.

Firstly, the rugby, for the most part, was of a very high standard, with some standout games culminating in that epic final between England and Canada. As we’ve mentioned before, what we love most about the Women’s game is that it often plays out like an enthralling hybrid of the 7s and 15s codes. There tends to be a lot more open play than in the Men’s game, which makes for some fast running rugby and some spectacular offloading skills. The ball tends to be in play a lot longer, and some of the meters made statistics make one feel exhausted just going over them. For example in post contact meters made England in their final game against Canada made 215, compare that to South Africa in their 48-7 romp over Argentina in the final round of the Rugby Championship who only made 40 more at 255. There is also no lack of physicality as between them Canada and England put in 306 tackles in the Final (some of which looked positively bone jarring) compared to 269 in the final game of the Rugby Championship between South Africa and Argentina. Both Canada and England made well over 100 ball carries each, which is not far off the number South Africa and Argentina made between them in their final game of the Rugby Championship. Do you see where we’re going with this? In short, Women’s Rugby is an exciting spectacle, and we can’t wait for next year’s World Cup.

So, without any further ado, let’s unpack that game from Canada’s point of view and what we can expect from them looking ahead to the World Cup next year.

Canada shows so much promise despite the challenges they face, but there is a need for honesty in the work that now needs to be done

Canada had a remarkable tournament that propelled them to the number 2 spot in the world, but that final match against England demonstrated that they are still slightly short of the mark in terms of being a finished product

First up, a huge congratulations to Canada’s extraordinary women, who put on the show of a lifetime over the last few weeks. Some notable wins over France and Ireland and a heartbreaking loss to England, despite Canada being very much in the hunt for the top prize until the 70th minute, have cemented Canada’s place as the number 2 team in the world and made them genuine contenders for World Cup glory in England next year. It’s an achievement that they and every Canadian rugby fan can be hugely proud of. Unlike their main rivals, England, France, and New Zealand, Canada’s women get precious little time together to prepare for tournaments like this. It is hoped that in the runup to the World Cup this will be rectified, but it is still unlikely to be at the same level or consistency as countries like England and France, and suffer from all the funding constraints that go with it. These are concerns that France, New Zealand, and England will simply not have to reckon with. On the plus side a good chunk of Canada’s roster are getting paid as professionals in England and France and have a tough season of top flight domestic club rugby ahead of them as preparation, and a golden opportunity to get a face to face understanding of their French and English opponents come the World Cup.

Canada opened their WXV 1 account with a thrilling 46-24 win over France. Canada dominated possession, and although France had a slightly more effective kicking game when it came to territory, Canada’s work in the set pieces and their physicality in defense left France reeling at times. On attack they were ruthless and made an impressive 369 meters with ball in hand post contact, spearheaded by player of the match second rower Laetitia Royer, and caused France to have to make an exhausting 173 tackles.

Next up was a tough challenge against Ireland, which Canada won comfortably in the end 21-8 but were pushed by an Irish side exceeding all expectations. However, some of the cracks that would ultimately trip Canada up in the England game began to surface. Their lineout work started to falter badly to the point that it was a genuine liability come the England game. Tackles started to be missed, resulting in Ireland making an impressive 326 post contact meters compared to only 237 for Canada.

Then came that final game against England with it all on the line. What a battle it was, and a genuinely thrilling contest that has set the tone for the World Cup next year. It was a final worthy of the name, huge physicality from both sides, fantastic tries, and a nervy and edgy encounter right to the end. Well, almost the end, as sadly it’s hard to deny that Canada ran out of gas in the final ten minutes. So let’s unpack what struck us as to how Canada, despite a genuinely heroic and impressive effort, ultimately came short in a match which we felt to be honest they should and could have won.

First up, it has to be mentioned that England’s discipline was costly at times, and Canada failed to take advantage of it. For twenty minutes of that match, England had only fourteen players, and Canada were unable to make their player advantage count with points on the board. There were numerous occasions where Canada had an overlap out wide off a spectacular line break and in the heat of the moment didn’t take the opportunity presented, allowing England to bring them to ground and effect a turnover. Then there was the problem of the lineouts, which disintegrated at an alarming rate as the match progressed to the point where Canada ended the game with a 59% success rate, which is unacceptable at this level. They can draw some consolation from the fact that they were good at disrupting England’s lineouts causing the Red Roses to only be 10% more effective at lineout time, something they will want to capitalize on should the two meet again next year at the World Cup.

Although Canada’s scrum held its own against England, we feel it led them to believe that they could attack England’s defenses in close through a rolling maul. In our opinion, that was a huge mistake. England’s maul defense is simply the best in the world by a country mile. Canada scored their opening try in close and off the 5 meter line, which led to a misguided sense that England were vulnerable close to the try line. If you look at how the match played out England were most exposed and Canada most dangerous in broken play, as the Canadians playing at speed were able to disrupt England’s defenses and deny them the opportunity to regroup. With Canada’s lineout consistently failing, we simply couldn’t understand the value of repeatedly kicking for the corner in the hopes of mauling the ball over from a lineout that just wasn’t firing, instead of taking points from the tee to keep the scoreboard ticking over. In short, it wasn’t the best decision making and showed a slight lack of big match temperament and experience, something England has in spades.

We feel slightly uncomfortable singling out the lineout as we feel it puts Hooker Emily Tutosi in an unfair light. She is a remarkable player and tackled her heart out in this match and led the tackle count of any player from either side, but was clearly struggling with the lineout. As a result was it fair to put even more pressure on a player by constantly kicking for the corner, when as far as that aspect of her game was considered she was having a horrible day at the office? Furthermore, if that was Canada’s strategy, why leave it until the 75th minute to bring her replacement off the bench? On that note, we simply did not understand the Coaching Box decisions regarding substitutions. A lot of key substitutions only came on after the 75th minute, when Canada was exhausted and England’s bench were already making their impact felt. Furthermore, Canada had a quality bench who could have really made an impact, so why not use it? Players coming on in the dying minutes of a match hardly have the time to adjust to and take the measure of the ebb and flow of a game, making them almost redundant.

Make no mistake. England are deserved Champions once again, and their position of being ranked the number 1 team in the World is certainly not to be questioned. However, can they be beaten, we’d argue yes, and Canada had a golden opportunity to do so last Saturday in Vancouver, which sadly ended up going begging. Should the two meet again come the World Cup, which looks a distinct possibility, then the daunting prospect of playing at a packed and noisy Twickenham filled with 60,000+ English supporters as opposed to the cavernous emptiness of BC Place and its vocal but tiny group of committed 5000 spectators, will be a tough psychological hurdle for Canada to overcome. Consequently, they needed to take the opportunity presented to them as a confidence booster for the same event on a MUCH larger stage next year.

We feel confident they can, and the talent is certainly there. Add into the mix the return of talismanic Captain Sophie de Goede to bolster the leadership group of Alex Tessier, Emily Tutosi, Tyson Beukeboom, Courtney Holtkamp, DaLeaka Menin, Justine Pelletier and Claudia Apps and the sky is the limit for this team. This tournament really brought to the forefront the remarkable talents of players like Laetitia Royer, Pam Buisa, Fabiola Forteza, and Fancy Bermudez-Chavez to name but a few in a very capable group of players. None of our concerns that came out of the game against England are meant to distract from the remarkable achievements of this exceptional group of players who have made us so proud as Canadian rugby fans over the last three weeks. By contrast if they learn the lessons they need to from this kind of exposure and the heartbreaking setback of that game against England, they will have every right to challenge for the ultimate prize at Twickenham on September 27th next year.

So from all of us here at the Lineout, thank you to all of Canada’s women who made us so proud this past three weeks at the WXV and know we will be cheering you on every step of the way to the big show in England next year. You should be very proud of what you’ve achieved and how you work together as a team, and rest assured that an even bigger and brighter future awaits you all as a result!

Lineout Calls of the Week – A remarkable July with plenty of reasons to be cheerful

Canada’s REMARKABLE women once again do us proud by taking the silver medal in the Women’s Sevens at the Paris Olympics this week in an absolute thriller against New Zealand in the Stade de France. A huge shout out to an extraordinary team that once again demonstrates that the Women’s game when it comes to rugby in this country is in exceptionally rude health. Heartfelt congratulations to all the team for an absolutely top drawer Olympic campaign and one which has shown that the sky is the limit for this very impressive group of young and talented players!

Also, what a final weekend of the big summer tours that was!!! The icing on the cake was without a doubt that seismic second Test between South Africa and Ireland in Durban, but the thrills and spills to be had in Auckland and Sydney also helped cap off a memorable weekend. Despite the concerns that a set of Summer Tours could have been a bit of a damp squib after the seemingly interminable season for many of the teams, which started with preparations for the World Cup last year, we were pleasantly surprised at both the intensity and drama and at times outrageous skills on display, even if player fatigue was a legitimate concern for many of the teams involved.

All of this is not to detract in any way from the final weekend of the Summer Tours which featured such Lineout fan favorites as Portugal, Georgia and Fiji up against the big boys, but there is no denying that last weekend of the big Tours provided us with a fascinating glimpse into the lessons learnt from the last World Cup cycle and what it means going forward looking ahead to the next global showdown in Australia in 2027. Coaching regimes changed hands, new playing styles made their first tentative steps and the future stars of the next generation of International Rugby started to make their presence felt as the old guard began an inevitable shuffle to the sidelines to make way for them, while still showing that there is plenty of pedigree left in such experienced heads when called upon for clutch moments.

In short, the first two weekends of July were fascinating viewing and proved that the International game, despite the almost incessant pressures placed on it for yet more fixtures and longer seasons, is still remarkably robust and capable of the type of enthralling spectacle that makes our glorious sport so unique. Even our own Canadian Men, reeling from the worst crisis in confidence in the history of the game in this country, managed to eke out an impressive win over Romania, and which clearly showed there is still plenty of pride left in the jersey. While it may sadly provide a stay of execution for Rugby Canada’s inept management of the Men’s program and in particular the Coaching department, it was still an important win that will surely help rejuvenate what has been up to now dwindling interest in the Men’s game, especially when compared to the runaway success of the Women’s program.

So, with so much to talk about this summer, here’s what struck us the most about a remarkable month in Rugby.

Canada’s Women continue to make their mark on the World Stage by claiming Silver in Olympic Sevens

There seems very little that Canadian women can’t do when it comes to International Rugby at the moment, and their Silver medal in a thrilling final against New Zealand was the highlight of an extraordinary Olympic campaign

As anyone knows who is a regular visitor to this site, we are HUGE fans of Canadian Women’s Rugby, and their Silver medal in 7s at the Paris Olympics this week further cemented our belief that the story of this remarkable group of women is one of the most exciting in International Sport right now. There was no denying they were drawn in a tight Pool with New Zealand and Fiji, but they claimed a hard fought win over Fiji. They sadly received a bit of a schooling at the hands of New Zealand but then finished the Pool strongly with a tough win over China.

Nevertheless, despite emerging second in their Pool, we had concerns over the caliber of their opponents in the knockout stages, starting with a Quarter-Final against France. They then proceeded to rip up the form book and really come into their own in three stunning matches. They dealt with hosts France in a nervy Quarter Final, which saw a thrilling finish with the Canadians emerging the winners. Next, they had to face one of the tournament favorites Australia in a semi-final. Despite being the underdogs, they took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half and never looked back, producing arguably one of the best games of the tournament and a fine win. In the Gold Medal match against reigning Olympic Champions New Zealand, they produced a spectacular performance which Canada only lost at the death by less than a converted try.

In short, against all odds, Canada’s women produced one of the most memorable stories of this Olympics and one that continued to show that Women’s rugby in this country is a force to be reckoned with. Many players on the 7s team are are also doing duty in the 15s game, and thus Canada is rapidly developing a pool of talented players which will serve their upcoming campaign in the WXV in September exceptionally well. At present, Canada sits third in the World Rankings in the 15s game and 5th in the 7s game. Compare that to 21 for the Men in the 15s and 12th in the 7s.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, the success of Canadian Women in International Rugby at both the 7s and 15s level deserves our wholehearted support. While the Men’s game in Canada continues to be in a state of crisis we would be devastated if the limited funding we have in this country for rugby was diverted to salvage the Men’s program at the expense of the Women’s success. Our Canadian women have done us proud every time they take to the field and we need to continue to build on that hard work and dedication to ensure that they are able to continue to take their incredible efforts to the next level. In short, ladies, we salute you for once again doing yourselves and the jersey proud!

World Champions South Africa remain King of the Hill after a thrilling series that saw Ireland and South Africa claim one each

Without a doubt the best series of the lot but one that made us hungry for just one more to make a series decider, but South Africa and Ireland still remain top of the pile in terms of World Rankings

What we got treated to a few weeks ago as South Africa and Ireland did battle in Durban was nothing short of the highest octane rugby entertainment possible to cap off a remarkable series. South Africa claimed the first Test in an edgy and intensely physical encounter. The off the charts physicality of the Springboks in the first Test left Ireland with a telling injury count, and made it unthinkable that the Men from the Emerald Isle could survive a similar encounter only a week later. What most of us weren’t expecting was Ireland to outBok the Boks in the first half of the second Test. South Africa were clearly not expecting to be on the receiving end of a brutally physical Irish performance in the first half that left them bloodied and battered, and which saw Ireland heading into the sheds 16-6 ahead on the scoreboard.

There was clearly some soul searching at half time and South Africa quickly took control of proceedings and as the game headed into the final quarter the hosts were back in charge at 21-19, and with Handre Pollard adding a further three as the game wound down with fifteen minutes left on the clock. The final ten minutes saw an absolutely heroic Irish defense hold back repeated Springbok onslaughts but most extraordinary of all the return of the drop goal, and not just one drop goal but two!

It was a fascinating series between two equally matched sides. Ireland’s fightback in the first Test was equally as impressive as South Africa’s in the second. The telling component in both matches was that first half dominance ultimately paid off in ensuring the winner, even if in Ireland’s case in the second Test thinking outside the box was necessary to snatch the win from the jaws of defeat. In the first Test South Africa pulverized Ireland in the first half and continued the process well into the first quarter of the second, and that and the altitude meant there was little left in the tank for an Irish side at the end of one of the longest seasons in history. What’s more, we saw an expansive and infinitely more complex attacking style of play from South Africa that was keeping Ireland guessing, in addition to having to cope with the Springboks’ traditional physicality. That made Ireland’s remarkable comeback in the final quarter of the second half so extraordinary. In short it was a a thrill ride of a Test match from both teams and left us hungry for more, but also doubting that a second offering could match up to the quality of the first – were we ever in for a surprise!

However, the first Test left Ireland with a troubling injury list, with Hooker Dan Sheehan and scrum half Craig Casey being the most notable absentees for Round 2. South Africa in yet another demonstration of their resilience at this level headed into the second Test with a clean bill of health, and the writing seemed on the wall for a triumphant series sweep for the Springboks in Durban. What we got instead was perhaps one of the most brutally physical Test matches we can remember in a very long time. South Africa seemed clearly taken aback by the ferocity with which Ireland controlled the first half, littering the pitch with Springbok casualties. It was a classic “stand em up, knock em down and slug it out” Test match of old, with Ireland controlling the proceedings in a decidedly dominant fashion for the first forty minutes and heading into the sheds 16-6 ahead on the scoreboard.

South Africa seemed to recover from their initial shock at Ireland’s brutality in the first half and proceeded to put an Irish side starting to flag under enormous pressure once again, both physically and mentally. Ireland’s discipline started to crack, and Handre Pollard’s boot made them pay dearly. Ireland are a side that relies on maintaining possession and stringing together an almost endless set of phases. South Africa, in the second half, made sure that Ireland simply were not allowed to do this and, as a result, were able to do very little with the possession they had, as well as forcing mistakes. Watch the replay, and in that final ten minutes, you’ll notice that the ball is coming out of the rucks and being passed to players sitting much further back than we’re used to seeing from Ireland. In a sense, Ireland had run out of options, and it was left to Frawley to chance Ireland’s arm with two audacious drop goals from deep. It was Test theatre at its best and allowed Ireland to do the unthinkable and snatch what had appeared at kickoff to be an impossible win.

While a decider would have been icing on the cake, it was still a series that showcased two of the best, if not THE best teams in the World. As we saw in New Zealand, the All Blacks and England are hot on South Africa and Ireland’s heels, and we have a hunch that the top five spots in World Rugby are going to change hands with increasing regularity over the next 18 months, making for some epic Test matches. Those two Tests in South Africa in the Rugby Championship between the All Blacks and Springboks at the end of next month are the next big thing on International Rugby’s radar and we can’t wait to see how it changes the pecking order, ahead of New Zealand’s trips to England, Ireland and France at the end of the year. Strap yourselves in folks for a roller coaster ending to the year!

Razor’s first two outings in charge of the All Blacks were tight, nervy affairs, which saw his charges get the job done, but the promise is off the charts

Scott Robertson certainly had a baptism of fire against a very slick and fired up England outfit, but there is no denying that this latest chapter of the All Blacks legacy looks destined to live up to its blockbuster billing

We think it’s safe to say that new All Blacks’ Coach Scott Robertson has lived up to the hype surrounding his appointment after his first three Tests in charge of one of International Rugby’s most fabled units. England were able to put his Coaching credentials under the harshest examination over two weekends, and there is no denying that New Zealand were lucky to emerge 1 point winners in the first Test. However, the second Test was a much more assured affair from the Men in Black, still edgy at times and England were in it to win it right until the final whistle, but the All Blacks were clearly starting to find their groove under their new boss. Their 47-5 drubbing of Fiji a week later left few in doubt that New Zealand are back with a vengeance and are only going to get better.

They’ll enjoy the visit of Argentina to their shores for two tests to kick off their Rugby Championship campaign. The Pumas’ raw physicality will be excellent preparation for a tough trip to South Africa to play their greatest rivals, the Springboks in Johannesburg and Cape Town. By the time they trade blows with Australia for the Bledisloe and the conclusion to the Rugby Championship, New Zealand if evidence of this England series is anything to go by should be fighting fit for a tough tour of Europe at the end of the year, which sees them take on England, Ireland and France.

However, it’s that trip to South Africa that will really tell us how effective the All Blacks transformation has been under Robertson’s stewardship. Emerge from that with flying colors, and the rest of the rugby world may need to start running for the hills once more. Nevertheless, as impressive as New Zealand were against England, especially in the second Test, we don’t think that South Africa, Ireland and France are quaking in their boots just yet, while England will definitely fancy their chances at Twickenham at the end of the year.

It’s hard to judge New Zealand’s opening game against England and Robertson’s first outing in charge of the All Black machine. New Zealand always start their International season looking slightly rusty and a tad disconnected, and that was very much in evidence in Dunedin in the First Test. England were statistically the better side, and had Marcus Smith had a more successful stint off the kicking tee, the Men in White would have picked up a famous win on New Zealand soil. As we feared from Super Rugby where New Zealand sides have not had to do much in defense, the All Blacks tackle success rate was not where it needed to be at this level. Their lineouts were a fiasco, and the scrum creaked and groaned its way through the full eighty minutes. There were individual moments of brilliance which helped New Zealand seal an incredibly edgy and tad fortunate win but England gave them plenty of food for thought and it was clearly an uncomfortable evening for the Men in Black on the pitch and most of the All Black Coaching box had hardly any fingernails left at the final whistle.

Enter the second Test and an All Black side clearly much more comfortable with their new processes and Robertson’s way of unpacking and fixing the problems encountered in the First Test. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a much more cohesive New Zealand performance compared to the First Test. Players clearly understood the roles and what was expected of them as a team. Their set piece work apart from the lineouts was vastly improved, and their tackles were sticking this time around.

Their lineout woes will be a concern as England’s Maro Itoje was a constant source of misery, and Eben Etzebeth, Pieter Steph du Toit, Franco Mostert, RG Snyman of South Africa lie in wait for New Zealand and will revel in the opportunity to cause similar disruptions at the end of August. Furthermore, New Zealand were unable to dominate either territory or possession in the second Test, but defensively, they looked much better organized as well having the upper hand when it came to getting turnover ball. While England had more ball to work with, New Zealand were more clinical and deadly in terms of the opportunities they were able to create. They put England under pressure in the contact areas and allowed the smiling assassin, fly half Damian McKenzie plenty of shots at goal as England’s discipline cracked. When veteran fullback Beauden Barrett came on with 30 to go, the seasoned All Black campaigner showed that his pedigree when it comes to turning a game on its head is still very much in evidence. In short, it was a master class display from one of New Zealand’s greatest playmakers.

This All Black side under Robertson is still very much a work in progress, but all the signs are there that New Zealand is back with a vengeance and are likely to be one of Test Rugby’s most exciting and dominant sides during this next World Cup cycle. Robertson is a shrewd operator who knows how to think on his feet and adapt. For All Black supporters clearly frustrated by the last four years of New Zealand’s inconsistent fortunes, Robertson certainly seems to be the robust shot of espresso that everyone was clamoring for.

England may have lost the series 2-0 to New Zealand, but they leave the Land of the Long White Cloud with their heads held high

There was absolutely no shame in England’s series loss to Scott Robertson’s new look All Blacks as Steve Borthwick’s charges gave a magnificent account of themselves in two exceptionally hard fought contests with no quarters given and fly half Marcus Smith was a revelation

Let’s be brutally honest traveling to New Zealand and taking on the legendary All Blacks is not a task for the faint-hearted. Of the teams that do, many leave battered and bruised and, with their confidence seriously dented. Therefore, it was with a sense of trepidation that we watched England’s young charges depart for the Land of the Long White Cloud. Since taking over from Eddie Jones, Steve Borthwick has faced plenty of criticism, but the recent World Cup and Six Nations clearly showed that England is on an upward trajectory. What better test of the strength of those improvements than a trip to New Zealand.

There was only one slight complication, the All Blacks were now under the tutelage of one of the most eagerly anticipated Coaching talents that New Zealand has seen in the last 25 years. The Crusaders legendary Scott Robertson is now calling the shots in the Coaching box, and what better test of your credentials than a career opener against a rejuvenated England.

Despite the aura surrounding Scott Robertson and his new look All Blacks, you never got the impression that England were fazed by the task they were up against and if anything were clearly relishing the challenge. In short, England were able to leave New Zealand with their heads held high as they produced two superb Tests. Although they emerged winless, the first Test was exceptionally close and saw the Red Rose losing by a mere point. Had they remembered to pack their kicking boots for that first Test, they would have emerged victorious. However, fly half Marcus Smith produced a dazzling display of attacking rugby and was the equal of his opposite number, Damian McKenzie. England’s set piece work was exceptionally solid, especially at scrum time, while flanker Maro Itoje was back to his disruptive best, especially in the lineouts.

In the second Test, New Zealand had clearly got their heads around the way Scott Robertson wanted them to play, but England still gave them no quarter and right up until the final ten minutes the game hung in the balance. England’s kicking authority and ability to turn pressure into points from the tee was on song unlike in the first Test, although New Zealand clearly got the better of them at scrum time, though Maro Itoje continued to cause no end of grief for New Zealand in the lineouts and at the rucks. Defensively England, slipped off the boil slightly as New Zealand’s back line of Sevu Reece and Mark Tele’a found ways to open them up all orchestrated by a brilliant cameo from veteran fullback Beauden Barrett. When the two sides meet again at Twickenham this fall, expect England to have worked out the relatively few weaknesses that caught them out this July.

In short, England have nothing to apologise for going forward after their Two Tests in New Zealand. They acquitted themselves well, came within a hair’s breadth of tying the series in the First Test, and the new spine of this team looks exceptionally healthy and capable. They will want to address their concerns in the front row as New Zealand clearly got the better of them there in the second Test. However, the second row of George Martin and Maro Itoje looks to be an exceptional blend of raw talent and seasoned aggression. The back row stocks of Ben Earl and Chandler Cunnigham-Smith look set to go from strength to strength, with Sam Underhill getting back to the form that made him such headline news a few years ago. Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith are an explosive half back pairing while the back line of Northampton’s Tommy Freeman and George Furbank, now boosted by exceptional newcomer Immanuel Feyi-Waboso look electric, with Furbank finally showing some confidence and sound decision making in the 15 jersey. The centre pairing remains the only possible weak link in a set of backs that look to pay huge dividends for England in this World Cup cycle, and even there it is not for lack of talent it’s just determining what is the right mix of players.

England will be a team to watch this fall as they take on a raft of top class Southern Hemisphere opponents in the shape of the big three of New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. The future looks very bright indeed, and Steve Borthwick can now silence his critics as England clearly have an idea of what they want to be and how to achieve it.

After the horror show of the Eddie Jones experiment, former All Blacks and Ireland Coaching maestro Joe Schmidt is giving the Wallabies plenty to smile about

Wales may not have been the sternest of opponents for the Wallabies under new management, but it was a huge boost to their confidence after one of the worst years in their history, and a vital step in their rebuilding process.

Wales were probably exactly the team that new Wallabies Coach Joe Schmidt wanted his team to play to get them some confidence ahead of a gruelling Rugby Championship, and to put behind them the nightmare of last year’s World Cup. This is not to say that Wales were pushovers, far from it, but there is no denying that perhaps one of the youngest Welsh sides to ever don the famous red jersey, is a long way off where they could be. Australia looked like they were finally enjoying playing rugby again in their Two Test series against the Welsh, despite the fact that new Coach Joe Schmidt is perhaps one of the most process and structure oriented Coaches in the International game.

Australian sides are a bit like the French. They simply don’t like too many rules placed on them and instead crave a certain freedom of expression on the rugby pitch to show off their talents. The problem with this is that their discipline tends to go out the window in the process, and their defense rapidly finds itself at sixes and sevens. Against a disorganized Welsh outfit their defensive structures looked much more robust, but with a change of personnel against Georgia after the two Welsh Tests, some familiar cracks that we see all too often in Super Rugby resurfaced. The one problem that Schmidt has yet to effectively address, though, is discipline as Australia against both Wales and Georgia gave away far too many needless and costly penalties. It’s better than it was under Eddie Jones but it still leaves a lot to be desired and South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina will be keenly aware of this as an easy way to put Australia on the backfoot in the Rugby Championship.

One area, though, where Australia will be genuinely happy as they start this new journey to their own World Cup in four years’ time will be in the strength and effectiveness of their forward pack. Throughout the series against Wales and the game against Georgia, Australia’s set piece work looked solid. The front row held its own though South Africa will be a much sterner test this month, while the second row looked exceptionally capable. However, it’s the potential of their back row that probably got most people sitting up and taking note. Rob Valetini has really come into his own as a devastatingly effective player both in attack and defense while Fraser McReight continues to create havoc in the loose, and newcomer Charlie Cale was a revelation. The jury still is out for us on the halfback partnerships Australia has at its disposal though we have a hunch, it will be Tate McDermott taking the scrum half starting berth for the Rugby Championship.

However, what excites us the most, provided it can shore up its defensive frailties between now and the Rugby Championship is Australia’s back five. In the centres, especially in Hunter Paisami Australia look lethal, while out wide especially in Filipo Daugunu the Wallabies look to get back to their glorious running rugby days of Campese and company, with Kellaway having an equally blistering turn of pace and foot on the other wing. Meanwhile, Tom Wright at fullback just gets more electric with every outing.

We really liked what we saw with this new look Wallabies, under Joe Schmidt. It’s still early days yet, and the visit of a bruising and increasingly dynamic South African side for Two Tests starting next week would send a chill up most Coaches’ spines. However, we think Schmidt can get his charges to the point where they can give a good account of themselves and maybe even pull off an upset, before an always challenging Two Test tour to Argentina followed by the Bledisloe series against the old enemy New Zealand.

It’s hard to say whether or not facing New Zealand first in the Rugby Championship rather than at the end would be more preferable. It’s a two edged sword as if they faced them at the beginning we’re not sure that Wales would have proved ample preparation for the biggest challenge this new look Wallaby side will face since the World Cup. However, at the end of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will be well versed in the game their new Coach Scott Robertson wants them to play. You could also argue though the experience of playing away in Argentina, never an easy place to go, and two bruising encounters with South Africa are more likely to equip the Wallabies for success against New Zealand than if they were to face such a challenge at the beginning of the Rugby Championship. Either way, we can’t wait to find out!

It wasn’t pretty, and it’s hard to judge what it really means in the grand scheme of things, but Canada’s Men finally get a much needed win

Canada’s win over Romania was an important one, especially as the Eastern Europeans beat our arch rivals the USA last month. Now, the hard work really begins to prove that it’s not merely a flash in the pan.

Well, it’s a win people and we’ll take it! However, as delighted as we were to see Canada get the win over Romania, a side that had beat our greatest rivals South of the 49th parallel only a week earlier, we are not completely convinced that Canada is emerging from the wasteland of the last four years. It was perhaps the most complete performance we’ve seen from Canada in a long time, but sadly, that’s not saying a great deal. The Romania that beat the USA the week before were not the same Romanian side in spirit and execution that Canada got a much needed 35-22 win over a week later.

A sense of perspective is perhaps needed here. Canada were blitzed 73-12 by a largely young and inexperienced Scottish side. A week later, a much stronger Scottish side faced our North American rivals the USA and only managed to beat the Americans 42-7. Our concern lies in the fact that wholesale change is needed in the management of the Men’s program in this country, starting in the Coaching Box, with Kingsley Jones well past his sell by date. We fear that the win over Romania will simply put off the inevitable in terms of the need for change – change that is desperately needed at the start of this World Cup cycle, not halfway through it.

Canada will get a chance to see where they are really at in terms of progress made in this year’s Pacific Nations Cup, which sees them play Japan and the USA at the end of this month. Both Japan and the US are in a similar crisis of confidence to ourselves with the US struggling to get a win, and Japan clearly not enjoying their second dose of an Eddie Jones Coaching regime. If anything, the Romanian win will see Canada head into the PNC as the most confident side, being the only one with a win so far this year. However, despite the euphoria of that much needed win, the jury is still out for us as to whether or not Canada have turned a corner under Kingsley Jones. If the PNC indicates that we haven’t, then we have to be brutally honest, and Rugby Canada has to stop putting off the inevitable and start 2025 with a clean sheet. They owe it to both the players and their die-hard but long-suffering supporters.

Nevertheless a huge shout out to Canada and that win over Romania – onwards and upwards gentlemen and let it be the start of a bright new future with our without the management problems that have plagued the game up till now!

Well, that’s it for now folks, sorry it has been so long since pen last got put to paper. It’s been an incredibly busy summer for us both at work and on the home front, making it very difficult to watch rugby this summer, let alone talk and write about it. We’ll do our best to cover the Rugby Championship but can’t make any promises at this stage. Till then, enjoy what remains of the summer, and here’s looking forward to what should be a fascinating Rugby Championship and a do or die Pacific Nations Cup for Canada.

To end this missive, here’s the moment that turned the Olympic 7s as we upset favorites Australia and a tribute to our remarkable women!

WAY TO GO LADIES!!!!!!!

Lineout Calls of the Week

So much to talk about this week, but let’s get started straight away by paying tribute to Canada’s EXTRAORDINARY Women!!!! The past few weeks have been a glorious celebration of this remarkable team’s commitment, hard work, and downright skill. In short – WHAT A TEAM!!! By claiming this year’s Pacific Four series Championship title, they have propelled themselves into second place in the World Rugby Rankings. Sure there is the daunting task of trying to topple the seemingly untouchable Red Roses and then try and beat England in their own backyard at next year’s World Cup, but there is no denying that on current form Canada has probably the best shot at giant slaying it has ever had. Any Canadian passionate about rugby should be making travel plans to Vancouver this year for September 27th – October 13th as Canada takes its first steps on meeting that challenge in the WXV Tier 1 competition.

This week our attention shifts to the prospect of a classic European Champions Cup Final and one of the biggest rivalries in the European game, as the two best club sides the competition has ever seen face off in London. France’s Toulouse look to add a sixth European star to their fabled jersey, while Ireland’s Leinster seek a fifth. These are arguably the two greatest teams of the professional era in European rugby, and wherever your regular season allegiances lie, we have a hunch you’ll be telling family and friends that you are unavailable Saturday morning. There’s also the prospect of a rather tasty Challenge Cup Final the day before as South Africa lends its brawn and pace to the competition by facing off against England’s Gloucester who have a raft of outstanding internationals in their midst. In short, this is the closest you’ll get to full-blown Test rugby until the international season resumes in July.

It may not be the Champions Cup, but the United Rugby Championship which has become a fan favourite here at the Lineout due to its mix of playing styles from five different countries heads into a genuinely fascinating final round of fixtures after this weekend that sees the middle of the table more hotly contested than it’s ever been. There is no question that it will have ramifications on the biggest tour of the year as Ireland head to South Africa. Meanwhile, the English Premiership has thrown up a fascinating question regarding which young buck flyhalf will be England’s starting 10 for a hugely anticipated tour of New Zealand by the Men in White.

So, in short, there’s plenty to talk about, so let’s get into it, starting with our outstanding women!

Canada claims this year’s Pacific Four Series and with it the number 2 spot in the World

The sky is definitely the limit for Canada’s amazing women at the moment, after their outstanding but hard fought win over New Zealand in the Black Ferns own backyard

We can honestly say that we have never felt prouder to be Canadian rugby fans than we did at 230 AM on Sunday morning when French referee Aurelie Groizeleau blew the final whistle, sealing an historic 22-19 win for Canada over New Zealand. The sacrifices and effort made by these phenomenal players was perhaps best summed up by a very emotional player of the match Tighthead Prop DaLeaka Menin, as it was plain for the world to see what that win meant to the team. To travel to New Zealand and face the World Champions in their own backyard and come away with a win is a massive achievement for a team that continues to grow in both confidence and ability. Perhaps most refreshing of all, though, is that despite their success, none of it seems to be going to their heads. While they have earned some well-earned rest and reflection, they are also cognizant of the challenge that lies ahead of them and the need to continually improve.

That performance in Christchurch, however, was nothing short of spectacular, particularly given that they had to hold firm against a determined New Zealand onslaught for the final ten minutes with only 14 players. Canada’s defense was absolutely immense, but what has impressed us week in week out has been how organized and cohesive this team is. What’s more is their ability to quickly fix issues as a game unfolds. In the game against New Zealand, their lineout was clearly struggling in the first half, and the Black Ferns were capitalizing on Canada’s difficulties. In the second half and the appearance of Emily Tutosi, problem solved, and that takes nothing away from starting Hooker Sara Cline, who had a stellar tournament. In short, they play for each other, and it means that everyone knows their roles and how to support one another. We have seen very few teams across all the competitions we follow who have managed to develop such a level of organization and cohesion.

In a team that performed so well as a group, it’s hard to make honorable mentions but there is no denying that certain players really made their presence felt and as a result kept popping up on the highlights reel of Canada’s Pacific Four Series this year. Without a doubt, one has to start with their inspirational leader, Sophie de Goede. The fact that the back rower is a mere 24 years of age and is one of the most accomplished players of all time in the Women’s game speaks volumes about her ability. De Goede is a once in a generation player and is recognized as such by players and fans alike around the globe. Oh, and did we mention she probably has the most reliable boot of any back rower in either the men or women’s game?

We were incredibly impressed with Tighthead Prop DaLeaka Menin and felt her player of the match award reflected an impressive campaign in this Pacific Four Series. We felt that Sara Cline and Emily Tuttosi were outstanding, with the latter bringing a stability to the number 2 jersey that is needed in crunch moments such as that last half of the Black Ferns game. Veteran second rower Tyson Beukeboom shows no signs of letting up and at 33 and a record breaking 68 caps looks set to continue to trouble Canada’s opponents, alongside Laetitia Royer who was a notable addition to Canada’s second row stocks. The halfback pairing of Olivia Apps and Claire Gallagher showed enormous promise for the World Cup. In the backs, Alex Tessier’s experience and composure is such an asset to the team, while newcomer Shoshanah Seumanutafa also made us sit up and take notice. We’ve always been excited by the potential that Fancy Bermudez brings to the team, but in this tournament, the live wire utility back really shone.

Like we say, our honor call could go on for a long time with this team, and by singling out a few names, it in no way detracts from the contributions made by every other member of this remarkable team and the outstanding Coaching squad led by Kevin Rouet. Canada will know that bigger challenges now lie ahead of them, starting with a meeting with England in September/October at the WXV Tier 1. However, given the ability and desire of this team to constantly improve and learn from each experience, we simply can’t wait to see how this outstanding group of women continues to fly the flag for Canadian rugby over the coming year and make us even prouder of their achievements than we already are.

From all of us here at the Lineout an absolutely massive vote of confidence and round of applause for Sophie de Goede and her exceptional charges. Onwards and upwards ladies!!!!

Does club rugby really get any bigger than this?

As two giants of European rugby prepare to do battle this Saturday in London, the contest between arguably the two best scrum halves in the world at the moment, Leinster’s Jamison Gibson-Park and Toulouse’s Antoine Dupont will be front and centre of an epic contest

As rugby fans, what a treat we are in for this Saturday! The two most successful teams in the history of European club competition, France’s Toulouse and Ireland’s Leinster lock horns in London, in a game that has all the trappings of a full blown Test match. There will be battles all across the pitch, but the one that is likely to stand out the most is that between the two gentlemen chosen to wear the number nine jersey. The analogy we draw with it is the surgeon in the shape of Gibson-Park meets the visionary artist in the shape of Dupont. The Leinsterman’s understanding of his team’s game plan and how to create those lightning quick linkages between his forwards and backs is remarkable. Meanwhile Dupont’s ability to think on his feet and see and create space, while at the same time making chaos theory appear a natural part of Toulouse’s game defies all logic and is practically impossible to defend against.

Therein, though, lies the rub. Some critics have pointed to the fact that the defensive structures that World Cup winning Coach Jacques Nienaber has brought to Leinster, have blunted their attacking ability somewhat, allowing sides such as Toulouse who thrive on creating opportunities from unstructured play a chance to unseat Leinster’s best laid plans. We’d agree to a certain extent, but by the same token given Leinster’s structural integrity in both attack and defense, Toulouse may find it impossible to create such opportunities. The sheer effort of trying to contain Leinster’s powerful physical attacks will create gaps in the Toulouse defense, which Gibson-Park has become a master at exploiting.

Where both sides will excel, though, is the presence of some remarkable jackalers in their packs. However, we’d argue that Toulouse are slightly more stacked in that department than the Irishmen. Peato Mauvaka, Jack Willis and Julian Marchand are serious threats in this regard for Toulouse and if Leinster leave themselves exposed at all in any of the breakdown exchanges it could be a long afternoon for them with these three in the mix. If Toulouse create any momentum in attack from quick turnover ball at the breakdown from a jackal, then their ability to create space through their offloading game invariably orchestrated by Dupont is remarkable and Leinster will have to be at their best to negate this.

Lastly, we’d also argue that Leinster may well want to control their traditional lightning charge out of the blocks in their last two Final appearances in the first quarter. They have struggled to maintain that momentum for the rest of the match, and although they may have built up an impressive lead in the first 20 minutes, they seem unable to build on it. The same issue was evident in their semi-final performance against Northampton this year. Eventually, their opponents start chipping away at such leads, and a sense of doubt and desperation starts to creep into the blue jerseys, and we all know how things end once that happens. If anything, Leinster almost need a low scoring match of attrition in the first half, allowing them to exploit Toulouse’s tiring defenses in the second. Put it this way, if Leinster look like they are running away with it in the first twenty minutes, the blue jerseys in the Lineout crew watching the game on Saturday are going to start to feel distinctly uncomfortable.

Either way, we’re in for an absolute belter on Saturday morning, and we hope you’ve all made your excuses to family and friends. As everyone is saying, it’s a game that is essentially impossible to call, so we won’t. Well, maybe Leinster are tired of being bridesmaids for the last two years, and really want the same number of stars as Toulouse on their jersey this time around? Just saying…………..

The URC gets spicy!!!!

The last round of the regular season next weekend and fight for the playoffs in the URC is perhaps the most fascinating and internationally flavored edition we’ve ever seen.

Next weekend one of these teams seasons will be over, but which one is almost impossible to call, making next weekend’s last round of the URC regular season one of the most fascinating we’ve ever seen, and essentially knockout rugby before the Quarters have even started. It’s a photo finish before the finals and, as a result, one of the most exciting conclusions to a regular season in a competition that is packed with international flavor.

Edinburgh 6th, Benetton 7th, and the Lions 8th all have 49 points, while Connacht sit with 45 at 9th on the log. For the Lions and Connacht, the challenge is the hardest. Connacht is faced with the unenviable task of traveling to Leinster to take on a side that may be basking in European glory if they come right against Toulouse this weekend. Will this make the men from Dublin vulnerable through complacency or one that has so much momentum they are too much for a Connacht side that has not dealt with confidence crises all that well at times this season? The Lions despite a phenomenal late charge this year, and that game in Johannesburg against a powerhouse Glasgow outfit last weekend that had to be seen to be believed, have a tough assignment in their final game by having to travel to Cape Town to face the second best South African outfit in the competition the Stormers.

Perhaps though it’s that matchup between Edinburgh and Benetton in Italy that holds the highest stakes. Lose and potentially both teams could find their season over, but then that also depends on what happens across the board. When the final whistle is blown, neither side, regardless of the outcome, will really be able to relax until the referee calls time on the final game of the regular season in Cardiff between Ospreys and the Blues. If things don’t quite go according to plan, then Ospreys could suddenly find themselves in the hunt for that 8th playoff spot if they walk away with a win. In short, that’s how close it is for everyone. Bonus points will be the order of the day for the four teams we’ve focused on, especially if any of them are on the losing side. If they are, then two losing bonus points are simply non-negotiable.

In short, we very much doubt any of these games will be lackluster affairs in a competition that has genuine international flair week in week out, given that it is technically considered a domestic league. Compared to competitions such as Super Rugby, the stakes just seem so much higher. There’s everything to play for next weekend, and for all intents and purposes, the knockouts have already started in what we’d argue has been one of the most entertaining leagues this season.

Expectations Massive – but how much will fatigue play a part?

In one of the most anticipated summer tours in years, concerns are already being raised that it may not live up to expectations as players with a lot of top flight rugby behind them on both sides turn up for a tough two Test series

If you’ve followed this blog or listened to the podcast, you’ll be familiar with one of our pet peeves – player fatigue. It’s the specter of that concern, which is casting a shadow over a set of two matches that we and the rest of the world are looking forward to immensely. Many are dubbing Ireland’s Two Test Tour to South Africa this summer as the World Cup final that never was, as the number one and two sides in the World go head to head. We don’t doubt it will be a great series but are also concerned that for many of the players, it will be yet another exhausting outing of intense rugby in a season seemingly without end.

While we respect the fact that rugby players, particularly at this level are well paid professional athletes, there is no getting away from the fact that it’s a long old season, especially with a World Cup thrown into the mix last year. Paid they may be for their labors – but robots they are not. Think about it, for both South Africa and Ireland, their players will have been playing rugby almost nonstop since August 2022.

For both teams, their domestic seasons got underway in September of 2022, with South Africa now competing in the United Rugby Championship as well as the European Champions Cup. A long arduous domestic season with plenty of travel wrapped up at the end of May last year. Admittedly, the players got a break in June, but towards the end of that, there were the initial training squads for the World Cup. Then, in July, South African players were involved in the abbreviated Rugby Championship. Roll on August and some grueling World Cup warmup matches for both sides and then into September and into the teeth of a very challenging World Cup Pool for both sides. Although Ireland exited at the Quarter Final stage, they were right back into it with the URC in November, as were the World Cup winning South Africans. That was followed up by Champions and Challenge Cup action in December and January in addition to the URC. Some of South Africa’s players had a break after the World Cup before they headed to Japan for the start of the Japanese competition in February. Consequently since the start of this year, for the South Africans, there has been Japan League One, URC, Challenge and Champions Cup, while for Ireland it’s been URC, Challenge and Champions Cup and a grueling Six Nations campaign.

By the time that Ireland and South Africa meet at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on July 6th, their players will have been playing top level rugby with hardly any breaks for a period of 22 months (almost two years)! Yes we know there are such things as squad rotation and the like, but that is still a TON of top flight rugby, which begs the question of how much will be left in the tank for both sides come July 6th? Agreed pride will be at stake and there will be a great sense of occasion and expectation surrounding these two Tests, especially in terms of the World pecking order, so it is unlikely that players will lack motivation. However, they’re only human at the end of the day and will the intensity and spectacle of both matches suffer from the simple fact of too much rugby and the toll it takes on athletes regardless of the peak physical conditioning they are able to maintain these days?

We sincerely hope that the series delivers on its promise, but we’d be dishonest if like many others we didn’t voice our concerns that players are being asked too much in order to satiate a seemingly endless demand for more rugby and more revenue. In short, let the players and games be the judge, and may whatever lessons need to get learned as a result be taken on board.

The Smiths – England’s music makers on the pitch pose a finely tuned dilemma for Coach Steve Bothwick

Which Smith will start, and which will bench for the Tour to New Zealand? Marcus or Finn?

If you were Steve Borthwick, you really would be spoilt for choice right now wouldn’t you ahead of England’s two Test Tour to New Zealand in July? In Marcus Smith and Finn Smith, you have two of the most exciting fly half talents England has seen since Johnny Wilkinson helped England lift their only World Cup in 2003. Also, let’s not forget George Ford, hero of the most recent World Cup. So, who does the England Coach choose for a Tour that is likely to set the tone for England’s journey to the next World Cup in Australia in 2027?

If he is asking himself that question, the one with a view to 2027, then for us, the choice is pretty straightforward. It’s between the two Smiths plain and simple. If you’re building for the future, which is essentially what Borthwick needs to do, then that is where his focus needs to lie. There is no better test of character than playing the All Blacks in their own backyard. Marcus Smith now has enough Test experience under his belt to help mentor his younger namesake on big pressure moments, but these two are the future of England in the ten jersey, and George Ford despite his considerable talents is not. Furthermore, although Ford supplies a steady hand to England, their attack, which was starting to show so much promise in the Six Nations at long last, is still not as flash under his tutelage as it could be. The Smiths are so much more dynamic in that regard and that is a quality you will need against a free running side like New Zealand.

Some have argued that throwing a youngster like Finn Smith into the cauldron of playing New Zealand in front of the All Black faithful at Eden Park is likely to push him too far too soon, and as a result shatter an otherwise promising career. We’d argue that while that is a risk, it’s one worth taking. Given that the World Cup is in Australia in 2027 and with the preponderance of Kiwis living in Australia, any All Black game at the next World Cup will be akin to a home game for the Men in Black. Finn Smith will need to learn to adjust to that pressure, and the sooner he does so, the better. Hence a golden opportunity awaits in July, and even if England do get put to the sword with the Northampton Saints pivot on the pitch, processes need to be in place to help him work through it in readiness for when the two sides meet again at Twickenham this fall and beyond.

As you may have surmised from the above, we are firmly in the camp that says take the Smiths to New Zealand and leave Ford at home. As to who starts when and where, that’s a more complex issue, and certainly, for the second game at Eden Park, we’d argue that it has to be made at a later date. For the first Test though we’d argue that Finn starts with Marcus on the bench. It will only be New Zealand’s second game under new Coach Scott Robertson, and from what we’ve seen of Super Rugby so far we think there will be more than just a few creases to work out especially defensively. We’d argue that the younger Smith is the player best able to manage a controlled game, while Marcus Smith can come on in the final quarter to really get New Zealand guessing and clinch those big game moments, particularly if the All Blacks find themselves behind on the scoreboard. However, for the second Test at Eden Park, a ground that New Zealand just doesn’t lose on, we’d argue Marcus Smith’s big game experience may make him the more logical starter. Nevertheless, what happens in the first Test will really determine the answer to that question.

Either way, we can’t wait to find out and, even more importantly, who ends up getting tickets for the long flight South. A bit like our concerns with the Ireland/South Africa series, player fatigue at the end of a very long cycle courtesy of the World Cup, may be a concern though more so for England than New Zealand, but as a look into both sides prospective futures it’s a series that will tell us a great deal.

Well, that’s it for this missive. Once again, a HUGE shout out to our fabulous Canadian Women and book your tickets to Vancouver this fall. Summer is finally here, and one of the most eagerly anticipated Cup Finals in years awaits this weekend. Dust off the barbis, get out the coolers, and strap yourselves in!!!!!!